Beautifully Broken
by AlliedHeart
Summary: Over four years after the defeat of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil. Henry/OC, Emma/Killian, Regina/Robin, David/Snow
1. The Girl

**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

* * *

**Chapter Rating:** T

**Chapter Date: **November 2017 (Ages: Henry – 16.5, Roland – 9.5, Neal – 4.5, Juliette – 2.5, Elizabeth – 2.5, Dani – 1 month)

* * *

CHAPTER 1: THE GIRL

The response was instantaneous; everyone was up on their feet at once, weapons drawn. Henry pointed his sword at the figure that was beginning to take shape within the purple fog in the center of the room. He pointedly ignored the fact that both of his mothers were instinctively standing in front of him despite him proving to them time and time again that he is especially gifted with a sword.

The pressure of a tiny fist holding onto the back of his shirt tells Henry that his little sister is still behind him where he shoved her as soon as the smoke appeared. Glancing around, he breathes a slight sigh of relief noticing that all of the children are out of a direct line of fire if it should come to that.

As the smoke evaporates, a figure of a girl becomes apparent. Henry would have dropped his sword in surprise if not for the fact that the gun in her hand is pointing straight at his grandfather. Despite this fact, Henry's mind can't help but notice that she is beautiful, in a deadly kind of way. Her wavy chestnut hair blowing behind her and the defensive form of her stance would have been intimidating if not for the look of utter confusion gracing her soft features.

Her eyes scan the room as if trying to memorize every face holding a weapon pointed at her before quickly glancing at the gun in her hand as if she does not know how it got there. The hesitation lasts a fraction of a second before her grip tightens and her eyes harden defensively.

"Where am I?" she asks suddenly, all the while keeping her hands steady.

"We'll be the ones asking the questions here." David replies, his face unyielding and his voice unwavering. The years of ruling his home kingdom followed by several more working for the sheriff's office in town has shaped his authority into an unquestionable tone.

"Yeah," adds the sheriff herself, Henry's mother, Emma, "Who the hell are you and how did you get in this house?"

The girl's gun shifts to point at Emma. Her bright brown eyes meet the sheriff's green ones but says nothing.

"Well, are you going to answer her or not?" demanded a voice from the other side of the room. Henry glances over at his step-dad, Killian, who had come to his wife's defense. With his notorious hook held out in front of him and the cutlass in his remaining hand, he would look menacing if Henry didn't know the honorable family man behind the façade.

Ignoring the arsenal that he calls his family, Henry decides to be the peacemaker before a full scale war breaks out over Thanksgiving dinner. He gently removes his sister's hand from his shirt, pushes past his mothers and steps between the girl and his family. He hears his mothers' whispered objections at the actions from behind.

"We don't want to hurt you," Henry tells the girl kindly while sheathing his sword. He steps in front of the gun barrel with his hands raised in surrender and looks her directly in the eyes. "We just want to know who you are."

The room was silent but for the slight whimpering of a frightened child. The girl's eyes meet Henry's and he feels his breath catch in his throat. Just as suddenly as she appeared, he is inexplicably drawn to her. He observes that her eyes are clearly wise beyond her years; they are beautifully broken. Henry knows her but at the same time he doesn't know anything, not even his own name. He finds that he wants to know everything about her. He is frozen and realizes that fact only a second too late.

His momentary distraction was enough for the girl to take advantage. In a split second, her supporting hand leaves her gun and wraps around his shirt collar, pulling him toward her and spinning him around. Henry hears the click of a safety and feels the cold metal of her gun against his temple. Her forearm against his throat is making it difficult to breathe and the slightly awkward backward angle from the height difference is making his back ache. Now facing his family, all Henry can see is the panicked, angry looks.

"Let him go!" yells Emma, while both her and Regina lift their hands in unison. Henry can feel the invisible hands telltale of the use of magic tugging against his skin, but it is as if the small arm around his neck is impervious to their obvious power. Henry can see the eyes widening around the room as his family realizes what is happening.

"Now," the girl's voice demands, her warm breath tickling his ear. "Where am I?"

"You're in Storybrooke. Storybrooke, Maine." Says his grandmother quickly, her eyes wide but strong. She returns the steak knife that she had grabbed in self-defense to the table, gesturing the others to drop their weapons as well. "I'm Snow, Snow White. Or Mary Margaret, if you prefer. Can you please let my grandson go?"

"Snow White. Like the fairytale?" the girl asks, sarcasm dripping in her voice, yet he can feel her head cock slightly to the side in question, "Or the tv show?"

Henry stifles a snort despite the seriousness of the situation. When his family found out that someone had gotten enough intimate details of their lives to create a television show that lasted a couple seasons, they were not happy. He's sure the show would have picked up for a fourth season if his mother, Regina, had not paid the creators a visit.

However, it was not the comment about the television show that concerned Snow.

"Are you not from our land?" she asks the girl.

"I suppose not." The girl responds dryly.

"How is that possible?" Regina questions harshly, a look of almost panic on her face as she shares a glance with her husband, Robin, whose arms protectively cradle their daughter. "I sealed Storybrooke so that no one from the outside can ever enter again."

With the girl pressed so close behind him, Henry feels more than hears her take a deep breath. It is only then that he realizes that she is trembling slightly against his back. He is sure that no one else can tell due to the fact that the arm enclosing his neck and the hand holding the gun are both completely steady. Henry realizes that she is terrified and is very good at hiding that fact. He can't explain why that thought makes his heart ache just a little bit.

Henry can see that his family, whom has fought, and won, countless battles side by side, is at a loss of what to do next. They are confused as to why Emma and Regina's combined magic is having no effect, curious to where the girl came from and how she got here, and, most obviously, they are terrified because it is his life that is in danger. If it was anyone else, they would have acted by now. Doing the only thing he can do, Henry starts talking.

"By your response, I can tell that you have seen the show that is based on our lives, and by your skepticism, I can tell you are from this land. I'm telling you, it's true. All of it. I know that can be difficult to believe when you are from the land without magic but the fact that you showed up in a puff of purple smoke tells me that magic is somehow involved in your life, whether you believe it or not. I can tell you are confused and frightened right now, but I meant what I said before. We don't want to hurt you. I can promise you I won't let them hurt you. My name is Henry. What's yours?"

The girl's arm loosens slightly around his throat but the gun doesn't move from its position against his head.

"I don't know," she replies, and Henry can hear the honesty in her voice. "It was like I woke up here. I don't know who I am, how I got here, or where I came from."

Henry looks up at Emma, knowing she would be watching the girl's face for any signs of a lie, and by her expression, he can tell that this is the truth.

"We can help you figure that out." He says, glancing at Regina, who quickly nods in agreement to her son's words.

"How?" asks the voice behind him.

"Magic," his mother replies, "As difficult as it is to wrap your head around the idea, this use of magic is not, in itself, difficult. I can help you extract your memories from your mind. You just have to let my son go."

A minute went by in silence, while his mother and the girl stared each other down. Finally, Henry felt the arm around his neck pull away and heard the safety click back on the gun before the cold barrel left his head. He turned to look at the girl as she took a step back from him, placing her gun in the holster at her hip. Henry hears a few sighs of relief behind him.

Henry knew his mothers couldn't wait to throw their arms around him in relief but he was still too drawn to this mystery girl to step back toward his family just yet. Without the threat of a gun pointed at his head, this time Henry lets himself really take note of her. She looked to be about his age, but, unlike him, she clearly had the look of someone who was alone. He could see the unmistakable signs of someone who is used to running in the distrustful look of her eyes and the wear in her clothes.

The sound of her voice breaks him from his trance.

"How does this work?"

"Why don't we all go sit in the living room while I go get the supplies," Regina suggests, glancing once more at Henry as if making sure he really is alive and well, before disappearing up the stairs.

Henry observes that his family is noticeably more at ease now that the excitement is over and the weapons are put away, but the curious glances at the girl and the tight grips on the children show that they are, understandably, still uncomfortable. Emma confiscates the girl's gun then follows her husband into the living room. Henry can see Emma make room on the couch next to her for him but he ignores it in favor of sitting opposite his mother, right next to the girl. He can't explain his sudden, almost overwhelming need to protect her.

The girl glances at him curiously but seems to decide he means her no harm.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your dinner," she interjects the silence, surprising everyone. She is clearly tense but her face shows more confusion now that the initial defensive reflex is gone. "And for holding you at gunpoint." She adds with a glance toward him.

Before anyone can say anything, Regina enters the room with a small bottle in her hands.

"This is a memory potion," she says, handing the purple vial to the girl, "If someone took your memories from you, then they should be restored the second you drink that."

The girl uncorks the vial, a doubtful expression on her face, before taking one last look around the room and a deep breath. Her eyes lock with Henry's and he gives her a slight nod of encouragement. He notices that she seems to trust that he wouldn't let her be poisoned because a second later she throws back the potion and swallows.

All is silent for a moment before the girl lets out a loud, pain-filled gasp and squeezes her eyes shut. She grabs her head, dropping the bottle in the process, hands fisting in her hair and starts shaking. Henry reacts instantly, worried she is having a seizure before hearing the faint whimper of compressed pain escape her lips. He twists in his seat and places his hands over hers, tilting her face to look into his but her eyes stay shut.

"What is it?" He asks her in a panicked voice before glancing up at his mother whose eyes are wide with shock, "What's happening to her?"

"I don't know!" She exclaims, getting down on her knees in front of the girl and shaking her slightly.

As suddenly as it started, everything was still. The girl unclenched her hands and looked into his mother's eyes.

"Did it work?" asked Killian from where he was standing protectively in front of Emma and their daughter.

"I – I can't –," the girl mumbled in confusion, her eyes shutting again, a look of deep concentration on her face. "There's…feelings…and flashes of faces and things. No real memories."

She opened her eyes slowly.

"Why didn't it work?" Henry hears his grandfather ask to no one in particular.

"That's what I was afraid of," Regina responds, directing her answer toward the girl. "I had hoped I was wrong but the way your mind was untouchable from both mine and Emma's magic made me think you were magically protected."

"What the hell does that mean?" asks Emma, handing her daughter to her husband and kneeling down next to Regina in front of the girl.

"It means that she was cursed for a specific purpose and her mind has been protected by pure magic until which time it deems it is safe or necessary to remove itself."

"But that sounds like a good thing," Robin comments, "Pure magic, not dark magic."

"That's because it is a good thing," Regina replies, turning back to the girl, "Pure magic is protecting your mind from something. You are here for a reason, and it's not a malicious one."

"But I still don't know who I am," the girl says, frustration evident in her voice, "So how am I supposed to know what my purpose here is?"

"We will have to discover it," Snow says with a kind smile, walking over and taking the girl's hand, "But until then, we will be here for you. You showed up to us for a reason, which must mean we are involved."

"When are we not?" Mutters Emma in response, to which Regina glares at her and Killian and David snort.

"Snow's right though," says Robin, "You must be frightened and confused, so as long as you promise not to turn your gun on any of us again, you can stay with us until you figure everything out."

Regina nods at her husbands words as the girl turns to her, smiling slightly for the first time since arriving. Trying not to let it show that he clearly thought she had the most beautiful smile he's ever seen, Henry turns to his mother.

"Isn't there anything we can do to, I don't know, give her mind a shove or something?"

"There is one thing I can try." Regina says after a thoughtful minute, "Do you mind?"

The girl hesitates only for a second before shaking her head. Regina places her fingers to the girl's temples and closes her eyes. Suddenly the girl gasps, at the same time Henry watches his mother yank her hands away as if she had been shocked. Everyone looks at the girl curiously while she takes a couple of steadying breaths.

"Anything?" Emma asks.

"Addison." The girl says as she opens her eyes, her slight smile returning to her face, this time filled with curiosity.

"What?"

"I didn't really get anything except that name." She answers, "I think that's me. My name is Addison."

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**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** Regina offers Addison a guest room and takes her shopping, Henry meets Emma and Killian for breakfast and they discuss the connection with the mystery girl, and David and Snow decide to pay Rumplestiltskin a visit to explain the situation


	2. Connections

**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

* * *

**Chapter Rating:** T

**Chapter Date: **November 2017 (Ages: Henry – 16.5, Addie - 16, Roland – 9.5, Neal – 4.5, Juliette – 2.5, Elizabeth – 2.5, Dani – 1 month)

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CHAPTER 2: CONNECTIONS

Henry awoke with a smile on his face. For a moment, he was unsure as to why he was especially happy, before the events of the previous night came rushing back to him – the mystery girl, Addison.

His family had questioned her relentlessly for the next hour until it was clear, at least to him, that she was completely drained – and still no closer to remembering anything. That was when Henry suggested everyone go home and let her rest for the night. The grateful smile she gave him was enough to make his stomach flutter and his heart skip a beat in his chest.

Henry said goodnight to his family, promising his curious mother that he would meet her and Killian for breakfast in the morning. For the past few years, he had taken to switching which of his mothers' houses he stayed at every few days; however, ever since Regina had given birth to baby Danni last month, Henry had taken to staying with Emma so as to avoid being woken every few hours from the crying infant. Last night, he had used the excuse that he missed his old bed, leaving out the fact that the real reason he wanted to stay was to be close to Addison. From the smirk on her face as she walked out the door, Henry knew Emma had read between the lines anyway.

After everyone had finally left, Regina had shown Addison to one of the guest rooms, then, with a quick hug to Henry, had retired to her own room for the night.

_There was a moment of awkward silence before Addison spoke._

_"Thank you," she said quietly, looking everywhere except at Henry._

_"For what?"_

_"For speaking up for me, for not hurting me, for everything."_

_Henry walked over and took a seat on the bed next to her, making sure to leave a few inches between them. She really was a beautiful enigma. He didn't even notice he was staring until she asked him what was wrong._

_"Nothing. It's just – I feel like I know you, or at least, I was meant to know you."_

_She looked at him curiously, obviously waiting for him to continue._

_"Like, I felt a need to protect you when you showed up," he clarified, his cheeks burning, "there was a connection, at least in my mind."_

_Henry held his breath, silently berating himself. How could he be stupid enough to admit to that? He's barely known her a couple hours._

_Finally, Addison nodded, "I know what you mean."_

_Henry couldn't believe his ears._

_"I wasn't going to hurt you, mainly because something was telling me that I couldn't live with myself if I did, even though I didn't know you – I still don't really know you." She continued._

_"Addison –," Henry began._

_"Addie."_

_"What?"_

_"Addie. I think I was called that, you know, as a nickname for Addison."_

_"Addie, then," Henry smiled, "I have a feeling we are going to be seeing a lot of each other, so there is plenty of time to get to know each other."_

_"Well at least for me to know you," she chuckled, "I think I should probably figure out who I am first before I let anyone else know."_

_"True." Henry laughed, before becoming serious again, "Don't worry though, I promise you, I will help you find out who you are and who did this to you."_

_Henry hadn't realized he had grabbed her hand until he felt the pressure of her squeezing back. She was smiling again, and Henry was entrapped. Her eyes were wide and bright and, Henry noticed, the exact shade of milk chocolate. He quickly cleared his throat and changed the subject._

_"So you seem to be adjusting well to the whole idea of magic." _

_"Well, as much as I believe that there has to be a logical explanation to every phenomenon that occurs in this world, or I suppose any world, I can also admit that science hasn't even gotten close to discovering everything that can be known."_

_Henry looked at her, slightly amused, "Well that sounded fairly scientific."_

_"I don't know where that came from." Addie responded, her forehead scrunched in thought, "Something is telling me that whoever I am is a very logical person."_

_"And yet, you just fell into a world where almost nothing makes logical sense."_

_They both looked at each other for a split second before dissolving into laughter._

Henry sighed at the thought of the girl who was quickly enamoring him like no one else ever had. They had stayed up talking late into the night and early hours of the morning about everything and nothing at all. He felt as if he had known her for years rather than hours.

From what Henry could tell, it was only information pertaining specifically to her past that Addie couldn't remember; he had jokingly began quizzing her on facts about history, literature, and science, and she could recite the answers with astounding detail. That discovery had only intensified Henry's interest in the girl. Not only was she beautiful, mysterious and tough, she was kind, witty and incredibly intelligent. He vowed once again that he would do everything in his power to help her regain her memories. That meant getting help from his family.

With that thought, Henry got out of bed.

**...OUAT...**

Addie followed Regina through the streets of the quiet town, taking in all the sights as they passed. The mayor pointed out different landmarks and people along the way, but Addie stayed silent. She was trying to memorize her new environment, but at the same time, couldn't help but hope something – anything – would spark her memories. Too lost in thought, she didn't even realize Regina had stopped until she heard her name loudly.

"Addison, are you okay?" the mayor asked, kindly.

"I'm fine." Addie nodded, lacking enthusiasm.

"No, you're not, but that's understandable."

Addie said nothing. She was incredibly grateful to all of the people she met last night for their kindness, despite their rough first impression, especially Regina. Not only had this woman, the former _Evil_ Queen, seemingly forgiven her for holding her son at gunpoint, but she had welcomed her into her home and had taken her shopping for all of the essentials she may need during her stay, however long that may be. She shifted her grip on the shopping bags guiltily in her arms at the thought.

"Can I admit something to you?" Regina asked, with a sideways glance at her.

"Sure."

"I feel like there is a strange connection between my family and you. It's almost as if we know you already, like you were meant to meet us."

"Henry said exactly the same thing." Addison replied with a small smile.

"Well, he always has been a perceptive boy," Regina chuckled. "Come on, let's drop these bags off at home, and then I'll show you the rest of town."

As they walked, Addie tried not to overthink the way Regina casually implied that it was her home as well.

**...OUAT...**

Killian smirked at his step-son's obvious discomfort. Emma had been questioning the lad since the second he stepped foot in the diner to meet them for breakfast.

"Seriously, mom?" Henry sighed, "You just admitted to feeling this connection with Addie too, so you don't have to make a big deal out of it."

"Oh, so she's Addie now."

The teenager rolled his eyes and took another sip of his cocoa. Emma simply laughed at his reaction. Before he could comment, Killian felt a tug on his sleeve, and turned to look at his daughter.

"Look, daddy, it's you!" squealed the almost three year old happily, showing him a piece of paper with a bunch of colored squiggles that she had just been drawing.

"It's beautiful, little love," Killian smiled endearingly, leaning over to kiss her blonde curls. She has always been such a daddy's girl, and he loved it.

Suddenly, the door to Granny's opened with a slam, drawing the attention of every customer. With a slightly sheepish look on her face, Tinkerbelle glanced around until her eyes found his table, which she promptly made her way toward.

"Morning, everybody –," She started.

"Hi, Tink!" yelled the little girl from Killian's left, without looking up from her drawing.

"Hello, Elizabeth," Tink smiled, "Do you mind if I burrow your mum for a moment?"

Emma looked at her curiously, "Is everything alright?"

"Well, we're not quite sure…"

Emma exchanged a quick look with him before getting up and following the fairy to the back of the diner. Slightly concerned but trusting that his wife would tell him if there was anything to be worried about, Killian turned back to Henry.

"So, now that your mother is otherwise preoccupied, why don't you tell me what you really think of the new lass?" He asked the boy with a knowing grin on his face.

Henry sighed dramatically, color returning to his cheeks, but answered honestly, "She's amazing."

Killian raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

"I just – I want to be around her. I only met her last night, but like I said, I feel like I've known her forever. Especially after talking to her all night and seeing exactly how brilliant she is. I've never felt that way around anyone before. I can't explain it. Does that make sense?"

"Aye, lad, it does. And I have no doubt that you will figure out the answers to your questions sooner rather than later."

Just then Emma returned to the table, while Tinkerbelle walked quickly out of the diner. His wife had a look of tightly controlled exasperation on her face. Killian locked his eyes with hers, but she shook her head. She's right, he thought, if whatever Lady Belle had told her made her worry, then the information was not for the children's ears just yet. He would ask her later. Although, Killian had no doubt that Henry would find out eventually.

"So, what were you two talking about?" Emma changed the subject, with a curious look between the two.

Killian's eye's met his Henry's, and he chuckled at the red tinge to the boy's cheeks and ears, but said nothing. Some conversations could stay between them.

**...OUAT...**

The bell over the door rang to announce their entrance to Gold's shop. Snow had convinced David this morning that the next step in figuring out the mystery of Addison's appearance would be to talk to Rumplestiltskin. Though he was hesitant, he had to agree that Mr. Gold usually had the answers.

"Neal, please don't touch anything," Snow cautioned, noticing the boy reaching toward a glass cabinet.

"Why?"

"Yeah, buddy, you don't know what you could be touching." Added David, with a slight chuckle.

"Why?"

Snow sighed.

"Snow, David, Neal, I thought I heard voices," exclaimed Belle, coming out of the back room, her daughter clutching her hand. "How are you today?"

"We're doing well, Belle, thanks," smiled David kindly, "But we do need to talk to Rumple if he's around."

"Of course. Do you mind watching Juliette while I go get him?" she asked, directing the small girl to Neal.

"No need." Came a voice as Rumplestiltskin emerged from the back room, causing them to jump. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"As I'm sure you've heard, we had quite the surprise visit during dinner last night," said David, "We were wondering if you had any theories."

"Ah, yes, our dear new friend, Addison," Gold grinned eerily, "I have several theories, some more probable than others."

"Well," David growled, "What are they?"

Snow placed a comforting hand on her husband's shoulder to calm him down, "How about you explain whichever theory that you believe is most probable."

Rumplestiltskin paused dramatically, watching his daughter share her book with Neal.

"It's really quite simple," he said after a moment, "She was summoned."

"Summoned?" David questioned, "By whom? No one knows who she is."

"I did not say the summoning was intentional. The fact that she showed up to your family tells me that it was one of those in attendance to your dinner last night, but even that person may not have known that he or she was summoning the girl. This person may merely have been making a silent wish or observation."

"Wait, that actually sounds familiar," Belle mused, exchanging a look with her husband. "I once read something in an old book about rumor of a prophecy, I think, that involved a girl unintentionally being summoned by a boy who's fate was unknowingly intertwined with her's. It also said something about them together being a more powerful force than the essence of dark magic itself. I don't remember where I read that but I could take a look. I could also try to find the whole prophecy."

"That would be wonderful, Belle." Snow said graciously, before turning to her husband. She was sure they were both thinking the same thing: Henry.

* * *

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN**: Henry and Addison bond while researching her appearance, Snow confides in Henry Rumplestiltskin's theory, and David and Emma investigate a new threat.


	3. New Discoveries

**Review Replies:**

**x: **Thanks! That really means a lot! J

**Guest**: I actually didn't mean to do that and have now corrected my mistake.

**justices**: Thank you!

**HelloBob12345**: Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying my story! I always wanted that too and since I couldn't find one, I decided to write my own. I imagine Addison looking almost like Christa B. Allen from Revenge. Also, just for reference, I imagine an older Henry looking something like Dylan O'Brien, but that's just me. You can imagine them however you want.

* * *

**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

* * *

**Chapter Rating:** T

**Chapter Date: **November 2017 (Ages: Henry – 16.5, Addie - 16, Roland – 9.5, Neal – 4.5, Juliette – 2.5, Elizabeth – 2.5, Dani – 1 month)

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CHAPTER 3: NEW DISCOVERIES

"How about this one?"

"'Powerful Fairies from Across the Realms'," Addison raised an eyebrow sarcastically as she read the title of the book Henry just handed to her, "I'm pretty sure I'm not a fairy."

"I'm just covering all my bases," Henry teased, "You never know with you."

Addison laughed, smacking his shoulder lightly, before taking a deep breath and leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes. Henry felt that tiny burst of satisfaction that is becoming all too familiar to him every time he succeeds in making her smile, but it is short lived. They were in the library – again. It has now been three days since Addie had arrived, and the two teenagers had spent the entirety of the last two and most of today researching ancient magic. Henry could practically feel the frustration radiating off of her.

He knew that she desperately wanted the answers to who she was, where she came from, and why she showed up in the first place but they were no closer to a solution than when they started. Still, her determination was astounding. Only breaking for meals, Addie was almost single-handedly making her way through the entire Enchanted Forest History and Magical History sections of the library. She also questioned his family members relentlessly, badly trying to uncover some sort of forgotten clues that they may have hidden inside their heads, during the meals they insisted on eating together. However, despite this determination, it was quickly becoming apparent to Henry that Addison was not at all a patient person.

His observation is supported by the sudden growl coming from the girl beside him. She stands up quickly, slamming her latest volume closed and walking over to a shelf where she angrily shoves the book back into place before pacing furiously up and down the aisles. Henry decides it is best to say nothing at all and simply let her run out of steam for the moment.

Instead he watches her, just as he has found himself doing often since she has arrived. Henry could watch her forever, studying her mannerisms and memorizing her facial expressions. He has found that, along with her lack of patience, Addie has a short fuse and her temper is not something to be messed with. That being said, she cannot stay mad for long at all. Already, Henry is noticing her breathing slow and her face relax.

After a few minutes, Addison returns to her chair next to his but does not sit down. Instead, she pulls on her leather jacket and starts collecting the rest of the books that were haphazardly scattered across the table so that she could return them. Henry stifles a snort at her attire. Her style of choice is similar to his mother's when she first arrived in Storybrooke all those years ago; both women prefer their dark jeans, tight shirts and combat boots. The only difference is that Addie's leather is black not his mother's signature red, though he knows they both have several different colored leather jackets in their closets. Henry follows suit and picks up the remaining books to return them to their respective shelves, still deep in thought.

Three days. It has only been three days since he met this girl but already he cannot imagine his life without her. He knows how important it is for Addie to find her way back home but Henry can't help but dread the day that will come.

Henry cannot explain, even to himself, what exactly she means to him. Though he has never had a girlfriend, he has definitely had feelings for girls before – his friend Ava still won't let him live down the fool he made of himself at the Sophomore Dance last fall while trying to impress her and it took him years to realize that him and Paige would never be more than close friends, despite being each other's first kisses – but with Addison, it was completely different. While those other girls could incite what he could only describe as sparks, being around Addie felt as if he was being set on fire. And with each burn, she branded herself more deeply into his heart.

While Henry is a firm believer in true love, as much as the Heart of the Truest Believer can be, he still never expected to experience it for himself. He does not even know what love of this kind feels like; all he knows is the love he feels for his family. Henry tries to shake these thoughts from his head. He is overthinking again and besides, it's much too soon to question if he is, in fact, falling in love with this girl. Even as he thinks this, Henry knows that argument is much too weak.

Henry did not even realize that Addison had finished putting all of her books away and had been calling his name until her hand waved in front of his face.

"I'm sorry, what?" Henry blinked.

"You need to stop zoning out on me," Addison giggled, "I asked you if you were ready to leave. Your grandparents invited us over for dinner, remember? And we should probably go drop all of our stuff at your house first."

"Yeah, of course, I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"About how you are going to miss me when I'm at school tomorrow." Henry teased her as they left the library and began walking down the street towards Mifflin Street. In reality, he was probably going to be the one missing her. He had had a long weekend off because of Thanksgiving but tomorrow Henry had to be back at school bright and early. At least it was only for the two remaining weeks until winter break.

Henry had expected a quick witted comment turning the tables of the teasing onto him, so he was a bit surprised when she responded, "I am."

She bumps his shoulder with hers, smirking, when he looks at her.

"I won't know what to do with myself without my partner in crime."

Henry laughs, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, his heart scorching when she does not pull away.

**...OUAT...**

Snow watches her son scramble down off of the end of the slide and quickly run around to the ladder on the other side so that he can climb back up again. She figured he would get bored after his friend Phil left a few minutes ago but the boy could spend hours in the park. Both boys could, for that matter. Neal and Philip Jr, Philip and Aurora's son, were born within days of each other and were quickly becoming best friends.

"Only one more time, Neal!" she yells from the park bench that she had been sitting on, "Then we have to go home so Mommy can start dinner!"

She catches his dismissive, "okay" as he continues to climb.

Snow hears a chuckle and looks up to find Belle and Juliette walking toward her. Juliette sees Neal and the two and a half year year old quickly breaks free from her mother's hand and runs over to join her friend.

"He's not listening, is he?" the brunette asks lightheartedly.

"No, he's definitely not," Snow laughs, "Not that I expected him to. He's only four and a half years old and he already knows that I'm a pushover for that charming smile and those blue eyes. He will definitely get away with more than one more slide."

Belle laughs, "Like father, like son."

Both women watch their children for a moment before Belle turns back to Snow.

"I was actually hoping I'd run into you here," she starts, reaching into her purse, "I was going to call you if I didn't find you soon. I found the prophecy that I mentioned the other day. I hadn't read the entire thing before so I didn't realize until now that it references Henry directly."

Snow's eyes widen, "What does it say?"

"Here it is," Belle pulls out a slip of paper, looking around to make sure they are alone, "It states: 'The Heart of the Truest Believer and the Hands of the Healer together shall create the only magic powerful enough to defeat True Darkness himself, The Angel of the Abyss. They shall come together when she is called forth by the Believer unknowingly, when the time is right, when Pure Magic senses the coming of the Final Battle. The Healer shall be protected from her truth by True Light until that time at which she is ready to accept her destiny.'"

It takes a lot to render Snow White speechless, but this prophecy had definitely done the job.

She didn't even know where to begin. The Heart of the Truest Believer is definitely her grandson, but the Hands of the Healer? She didn't think Addison was a healer. Then again, they still did not know much about Addison at all; the girl herself does not even know. However, the prophecy explains that too. This practically confirms Regina's prediction that her memory is being protected by pure magic. It also explains that Henry is the reason that she arrived when and where she did. But what is this destiny that she has to accept in order to regain her memories? Is it defeating true darkness? And who was this Angel of the Abyss? Snow only knew one thing: this poor girl's life had gotten a lot more complicated.

She needed to talk to David.

**...OUAT...**

Emma looks back and forth between her father's blue eyes and her husband's. Killian is leaning against the doorway to her office, while David is standing rigidly in the center of the room with his arms crossed. Both men have their deputy badges pinned to their belts.

"What's going on, Emma?" her father asks, "You sounded worried on the phone."

Killian nods in agreement, his eyes laced with concern.

"Do you remember the other day when I told you that I would let you know what Tinkerbelle told me when it became a problem?" Emma directs her response to her husband, "Well, it's a problem."

"What is it that she told you?" Killian asks. "You did look quite concerned when you returned to our breakfast after you conversed with the fairy."

"Tink told me that the fairies sense that something powerful, something _magically_ powerful, is coming to Storybrooke. They're not sure what it is exactly but, according to Tink, they feel that there is going to be a war and a lot of fighting to be done between now and the final battle."

"Well, that doesn't sound remotely good." David comments, "Did Tink say if it was dark magic they sensed?"

"I asked that too, and she said that they can't tell for sure just yet. Maybe both dark and light."

Killian swore and David sighed.

"There's something else too." Emma says hesitantly, causing both men to look curiously at her. "I think our recent string of crimes is connected to this and each other."

"How so?" Killian asks.

"Well, I obviously haven't experienced it first hand as a sheriff, but during my bail bonds days, I did manage to see cult activity from time to time, and what we've been observing lately looks kind of like it."

"Cult activity?" David asks incredulously, "You think there is a cult forming in Storybrooke?"

"And is it my understanding that you believe that this _cult_ belongs to the incoming magic of which the fairies sense?" Killian adds.

"Yes," Emma responds firmly, "to both."

David rubs his hands over his face, sitting down with a loud sigh, "Is nothing ever easy around here?"

"To be fair, mate, we have had quite the reprieve these past couple of years," Killian says, directing his response to David but taking a step closer to her, smiling sadly, "I had hoped it would have lasted longer."

"So did I," she looks into his eyes.

Her father's voice breaks their moment, "What makes you think this is a cult in the first place?"

"Because there's a pattern," Emma turns back to David, "The man who came forward to report the first vandalism went missing two days later, and his wife says that the graffiti looked as if it could be a symbol of some kind. She described it as an eye with a scar drawn through it. Then every person reported missing since had been heard gossiping about what has been going on right before disappearing. On top of all that, a new graffiti drawing has appeared within a couple of hours of each disappearance."

"Damn," David says, his eyes widening, "I didn't even realize. You're right."

Killian, on the other hand, looks thoughtful, "And what is it that makes you believe that this is connected to what the Lady Belle has told you?"

"Just a feeling." Emma answers him firmly.

Killian nods, never once doubting her instincts. That was one of the reasons Emma hired him as her second deputy immediately following the whole Storybrooke frozen solid debacle; He completely trusts her judgment. Of course there was also the fact that they make a great team and, as a former villain, he is very good at thinking like a criminal when necessary.

David's phone rings, breaking them out of their respective thoughts.

"It's Snow," her father says, checking the name on the screen, "She told me to be home early to help with dinner. We invited Henry and Addison over."

"Go." Emma chuckles, "Before she yells at me for keeping you too late again."

"That was only one time."

**...OUAT...**

"I don't think we should tell him."

"Why not?" Snow asks, with a glance over her shoulder at him where he was setting the table.

"Well, think about it," David responds, "If someone told you there was a prophecy pretty much predicting that I was your true love before you met me, don't you think it would have made you question whether you were actually falling in love with me or just the thought of me?"

Snow had just finished telling him about the prophecy that Belle had shown her and David was convinced that it would mess with his grandson's head.

"True," his wife responds while checking on the pasta that was boiling on the stove, "But Henry won't take kindly to being lied to. Besides, we don't even know that they are meant to be true loves; the prophecy does not mention those words at all."

"Like I said, you and I both know that the only magic powerful enough to do what the prophecy says will happen is True Love. I guarantee Henry will come to that conclusion too, if we tell him."

She sighs. David knows his wife is skeptical, but it seems clear to him. He knew there was a connection with Addison; they all did. Being Henry's true love was far from his mind at first but now that he's convinced, it seems to be the only thing that could explain how close his family feels to the girl they've only just met.

David looks back at his wife.

"I know that look," he sighs, "And I know there is no stopping you from telling him about the prophecy. I just warn you to not tell him about the true love thing; Let Henry come to his own conclusion."

Snow smiles at him as she nods.

**...OUAT...**

After dinner is when Snow decides to make her move. David had volunteered to wash the dishes since she had cooked, Neal following his father saying something about big boys helping clean up, and Addison had excused herself to the bathroom.

Snow knew she only had minutes before Addie returned so she had to act fast. She quickly pulls out the slip of paper Belle had given to her and shoves it into her grandson's hands.

"Just read it fast!" she urged him in a hurried whisper at Henry's confused look.

She watches the boy's eyes as they widen with every line he reads.

"You think this is about me and Addie." The boy whispers in shock, not even questioning the intent, "What is this?"

"It's a very old prophecy that Belle found. It's obviously about you and it would definitely explain Addie if the Healer that it mentions is her."

"I have so many questions."

Henry hesitates.

"But first, how do you know it's Addie?" he asks, "Yes, it kind of sounds like it, but she's not a healer."

"Not that we, or she for that matter, know about. But it is possible she just doesn't remember being one. We'll just have to keep an eye out for any clues that could prove it really is her."

**...OUAT...**

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Addison dries her hands on the towel before tugging uncomfortably at her shirt. Judging by the itching, she must have forgotten to take the tags off. This shirt was one of the new ones that Regina bought her. The mayor had practically bought her a full wardrobe and, as grateful as Addie was, she found it a bit uncomfortable that the woman wasted so much expense on a complete stranger, regardless of the inexplicable connection.

Addie twisted her neck as far as it would go while simultaneously tugging her shirt forward so that she would be able to see the tag. She did not expect to see the strange marking on her back that the tag had been rubbing up against. It looked like words printed right between her shoulder blades.

A tattoo? It's obviously not a place that she sees often but Addie feels like she should have at least known that she had a tattoo. Then again, she should also know her own last name.

Addison hops up on the sink, unbuttoning her shirt so that she could pull it down off of her shoulders, and craning her neck so she could read the words in the mirror's reflection.

"Primum Non Nocere." Addie reads slowly, thinking hard. For some reason, she knows that those words mean 'First Do No Harm'.

What the hell?

* * *

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** Henry wrestles with whether to tell Addison that she is meant to be his true love, Emma, Killian and David investigate the disappearances, and Addie makes a new friend.


	4. Where Scarred Hearts Lie

**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

* * *

**Chapter Rating:** T

**Chapter Date: **January 2018 (Ages: Henry – 16.5, Addie - 16, Roland – 9.5, Neal – 4.5, Juliette – 3, Elizabeth – almost 3, Dani – 3 months)

* * *

CHAPTER 4: WHERE SCARRED HEARTS LIE

Henry pulled the collar of his coat up to cover more of his face reflexively, but barely noticed the cold. As bad as mid-January in Maine could be, nothing seems as cold as it used to since Elsa froze the whole town a few years ago. Besides, he was far too busy laughing along with Addie. She had decided to join him on his walk to school and was recounting her dream about a boy who was trying to put on a magic show but ended up somersaulting down a hill when he tripped over his own magic wand.

"So what happened when the boy got to the bottom of the hill?" Henry chuckled.

"He stood up, looked at his audience that was still at the top of the hill, and bowed."

They both dissolved into laughter again.

"I'm telling you," Henry laughed, "Your subconscious has quite the imagination."

Suddenly, Addie froze, her eyes wide as if something had just occurred to her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Henry replied, confused at the sudden change in mood.

"Do you think it's possible that this was more than just a dream?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if my subconscious wasn't just being _imaginative_? What if it was remembering something?"

"You mean, you think that it could have been a memory, not just a dream?" Henry's eyes widened.

"Exactly!" Addie was clearly excited now, "Maybe my memories will start coming back to me as dreams and I just need to put the clues together so that I can figure out who I am."

"Whoa, slow down for a second," He told her, "You don't even know if that's what's going on."

"But I'm sure of it now." She insisted, "It didn't feel like a normal dream; I felt like I was there, standing at the top of the hill toward the side of the audience, watching it all happen. I even felt like I knew the boy; like I was concerned when he tripped. I think this really happened and I really was there!"

Henry did not know how to respond to her. Even though he had the Heart of the Truest Believer, he found himself questioning what she was saying. He really was happy that she believed she was getting closer to discovering who she is but he did not want her to get her hopes up. Henry thinks his heart might break if the dreams turned out to only be dreams and Addie got let down.

Henry realized that she was grinning at him expectantly, waiting for him to say something. He allowed himself to get lost in her smile for another second before answering, "I suppose it's possible."

Addie responded by shoving him playfully, her grin returning to its usual mischievous smirk, "Of course it is; I am obviously too special to dream like a normal person."

Henry chuckled. He didn't even notice that they had arrived at Storybrooke High until Addie stopped and looked at him.

"Well, have you found any other clues that could help you solve your mystery, O Special One?" he teased, trying to delay leaving her.

"Actually, yes."

Henry was not expecting that answer.

"A few weeks ago, I discovered that I have a tattoo," Addie continued, "It's just a phrase on my upper back, but it could mean something."

"What does it say?" asked Henry curiously.

"It says 'Primum Non Nocere'," she answered, "Which, for some reason, I know is Latin for 'First Do No Harm'."

Henry did not answer. That sounded like something a hero would say, but he had no idea what it could mean.

"You know," she pressed on at his silence, speaking as if the phrase should mean something to him, "'First Do No Harm' is part of the Hippocratic Oath that medical students state on their graduation day. It's kind of like how they swear in to becoming doctors."

Henry froze. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears and his palms were suddenly sweaty. Her words were echoing in his head: _medical_ students, _doctors_. They were right; his grandparents were right. Not that he doubted them; it was just a little different to believe something and to have it practically confirmed to his own ears. Addison is this Healer that the prophecy talked about. Addison is the girl that is supposed to help him defeat the darkness. Addison is supposed to be his true love.

Henry opened his mouth to say something but it was suddenly too dry to form words.

"Are you okay?" she asked, placing a hand on his arm and looking into his eyes, clearly concerned.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," Henry said a little too quickly, "I just need to go, you know, to school, right over there."

He pointed awkwardly to the building across the street.

"I'll, um, talk to you later." He stuttered, before taking one last look at the girl he was quickly falling in love with, and running away from her.

**...OUAT...**

The way the gray clouds were settling low and thick over the small town told Addison that it was going to snow. Again.

Luckily, the library was not that far.

When she had gotten the call from Henry during his lunch period earlier asking her to meet him at the library right after school, Addie was slightly surprised. It wasn't uncommon for her to hear from him during the day, but it was usually just through text messages when he was bored in class. Henry was sweet that way; he would check up on her to make sure she was doing alright, even though he knew Addie had clearly acclimated to her new environment in the two months since she had arrived. He was always checking in with her; this was the main reason he had bought her the phone in the first place, despite her protests, only about a week after she arrived.

The phone call was unexpected though.

Addie was still confused over Henry's behavior that morning on their walk to school. Henry was always a sweet, charming, confident guy around her so his awkwardness and sudden fleeing from her presence was completely out of the blue. At first, she had thought she must have said something that offended him, but Henry had dismissed that notion right away on the phone. He had apologized profusely for running out on her and promised to explain everything to her when they met after school.

Henry had also told her that he had something important to tell her. She had no idea what that could be.

Addie had spent her morning as she had taken to doing often: exploring the town. Storybrooke was not a big town, but there is always something interesting to find. With only taking a break to meet Regina for lunch, she had managed to memorize the entire coastline, despite her mind being preoccupied with thoughts of Henry.

From the beginning, Henry had told her he felt a connection and she had admitted to feeling the same. However, after that initial admittance, Addie has kept her feelings guarded. She has a gut feeling that's always been a habit for her. Henry, on the other hand, has been very open with his. He clearly has feelings for her in a more than friend-like way; he has done everything to show for that except actually say the words.

Addie has tried to put a label on what she feels for him, but finds that difficult. Right now, he was her best friend. Granted, she did not know if she actually has another best friend in her life, but if there is one and it's anything like how close she feels to Henry, she is almost glad that she cannot remember this person. If she could remember, Addie is sure she would miss them desperately. Just like she inexplicably misses Henry after being apart from him for only a few hours.

Henry is a great guy though. She really does feel like she has known him forever and can't imagine cutting him from her life when she remembers it. Addie will admit to herself that sometimes she pictures being more with Henry, especially those times when he looks at her with his eyes bright and that crooked smile on his face and her stomach flutters in response.

However, Addison doesn't think it would be fair to start something now, considering she does not remember her past. What if she had done something that would make him hate her? Then she would lose her best friend on top of anything else he may be. Besides, she didn't know if she would feel the same about him when she remembered. What if she had someone she loved wherever she came from? No matter what, knowing who she is was more important to her than anything at the moment.

What she needed was a distraction.

As if fate had heard her, Addie was pulled from her thoughts by her face hitting what felt like a plush brick wall.

Rubbing her nose, Addison looked up into bright green eyes and a cocky smile.

"You know, I like being touched by a girl as much as the next guy, but usually it's without too much pain to the girl."

"Cute. You know," Addie mimicked sarcastically, "I was going to apologize for bumping into you, but since you enjoyed it, I guess it's not necessary."

The guy laughs, his eyes brightening, and, Addison noticed, contrasting beautifully with his dark skin. She also takes note of a scar running across his left eye that does nothing to deter from the effect of its brilliant color.

"Avery," he says, sticking out his hand, "Avery Baka."

She shook his hand, "Addie."

"Just Addie?" he asks with a smirk.

"Yes, just Addie."

"Well, Just Addie," Avery says, smirk growing into a grin as he leans a little too close for her comfort, "Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Shouldn't you?" she counters.

"Graduated a couple of years ago. And I asked you first."

"It's complicated."

"I've heard that one before." He says, but doesn't press the issue, "So where are you off to?"

"The library. I'm meeting a friend there."

"Ah, study date, say no more." Avery raises an eyebrow in question, "Mind if I walk you?"

Enjoying herself, Addie shakes her head and smiles.

**...OUAT...**

The bell over the door chimes as the two women walk into the shop.

"Ah, ladies," Rumplestiltskin cackles from behind the counter, "It's about time you made your presence known."

"Cut the crap, Rumple," Regina replies, "You're the one that called us at our jobs, interrupting our lives, and requested that we come see you immediately."

"Yeah, you said it was urgent." Emma adds in the same dry tone.

"That I did, dearie," he replies, turning his back on them and unlocking a cabinet. Emma sees him retrieve his dagger. What the hell does he need that for?

"Well this can't be good if you are willingly taking that thing out." Regina says sarcastically, mimicking Emma's thoughts.

He doesn't answer right away. Instead, he looks at them curiously and asks, "How is Addison doing? Have you seen anything _interesting_ happen around her?"

"She's fine," replies Emma angrily, "but she's not why you called us here."

"You are correct," he grins mysteriously, "I just feel that you should both keep a close eye on her. I have a feeling that she hides great power."

Making a mental note to worry about that later, Emma replies, "Thanks for the concern. Can you just tell us why you have that out?"

Rumplestiltskin sighs. Emma can tell he is trying to hide his worry.

"Take a closer look," he holds out the dagger so that both she and Regina can see, "As you can see, something has happened."

"Why the hell are the letters red?" Emma asks incredulously. She hasn't seen the dagger often, and not for many years, but she thinks she would have remembered if the words spelling out the Dark One's name were bright red, as if the knife had recently been sitting in a fire and was ready for a branding.

Regina was silent but she looked panicked.

"That is precisely the problem," Gold replies, "I know why, though I have never seen it for myself, and it is not good at all."

"Well?" Emma asks impatiently.

"It means that the Dark One," he gestures dramatically to himself, "is being summoned."

"But you have been summoned before," Regina finally speaks up, "Has that never happened?"

"No, my dear, it has not."

"Then why –,"

"Because, Miss Swan," Rumple interrupts, "I have never been summoned as such by someone whom was not in possession of this dagger."

"Who has that kind of power?" Emma nearly yells at him.

"The only being that can have this kind of power," he pauses intensely, "is the being who created it in the first place."

Emma is about to ask who he was talking about when she notices Regina pale.

"_Him_?" Regina sounds faint, "He is calling you? I thought he was dormant."

"Apparently not." The Dark One nods.

Emma's impatience finally takes over, "Okay, you two better tell me who the hell you are talking about?"

"The Destroyer." Whispers Regina, "The Angel of Darkness."

"Either of those monikers will do," Gold adds, "However, his proper name is Abaddon, and he is the creator of all things dark."

**...OUAT...**

Even in the chilled air, Henry could feel himself begin to sweat with exertion. He huffed as he reached the landing at the top of the stairs. Looking out through the glass of the massive clock face that he had memorized so many times from his bedroom window as a young child, Henry observed his home town. This would do perfectly.

Moving away from the window, Henry placed all of the boxes he had previously been carrying on the ground, and took a second to stretch his arms. He had been planning on bringing the collected items up here for days, but he had originally given himself more time to take several trips. However, his epiphany at school this morning had him carrying everything up at once.

The idea had come to him during first period when he had sat dwelling in the newfound information and regret over his running out on Addison when she delivered it to him. He had felt the need to apologize to her the second he had awkwardly walked away but had no clue what he would say. Henry had decided that he would make it up to her by showing her _their_ _place_, as he had begun to call it in his head. A few days ago, Addie had expressed her admiration for the breathtaking views in their small coastal town, and Henry had immediately taken her up to the clock tower over the library. He knew that it had a wonderful view of the town and the harbor in the distance and had thought that she would enjoy it. He was right.

Addie's stunning grin that she gave him when she looked out of the tower for the first time almost had him kissing her right there. He had been about to lean into her but she had thrown her arms around his waist instead. Not that Henry was complaining about that. The feeling of finally holding Addie in his arms made his heart speed up and his breath quicken as he pulled her close and breathed in her hair which smelled faintly like a mix of strawberries and vanilla and something uniquely _Addie_. The hug was much too short in his opinion.

That was when Henry decided he would turn the clock tower into a place just for the two of them. He had started collecting miscellaneous items that he thought she would like, including everything from a rug big enough to cover the small space to copies of both of their favorite books to posters of other breathtaking views. He even bought two beanbag chairs and an old record player.

The only question would be the perfect time to show her. Henry decided that when he showed her, he would tell her of his feelings for her. His running plan was Valentine's Day, even though he knew she would find that extremely cheesy. However, after her news this morning, Henry decided that this could be his apology. He also decided to tell her of the prophecy. Of course, he would tell her how he felt first and then go on to explain the prophecy in hopes that she does not think that it in any way influenced his feelings.

Henry figured he did not have long until Addie arrived at the library so he set to work setting up all of his decorations.

As he unrolled the rug, Henry continued contemplating his greatest dilemma today: should he or should he not tell Addie that she is meant to be his true love. Because he was sure of it; Addison was his true love. True love is the only magic powerful enough to defeat the kind of darkness that the prophecy talks about. Henry had figured it out and, though they did not say anything, he knew his grandparents had as well. He just wasn't sure Addie would jump to that conclusion when he told her of the prophecy.

It is not that he does not want her to know; he just does not want her to feel like she is being forced into any feelings that she may or may not have for him. On the other hand, if he doesn't tell her, she might eventually regain her memories and leave without giving it, giving _them_, a chance.

Just as he finished decorating, Henry sees movement down on the sidewalk below. His heart involuntarily skips a beat and he has to take a deep breath in order to control the butterflies in his stomach. It's not every day you tell the girl you love that you feel something for her.

He looks out the window and freezes.

She is not alone.

Addie had walked up to the front of the library with a guy Henry had seen around before but to whom he had never spoken. He was pretty sure this guy was a couple of years ahead of him in school and, since graduating, he has only seen him a few times doing odd construction jobs around town. Henry remembers girls talking about him and giggling in the hallways whenever he walked by but the guy always seemed to flirt from afar and keep to himself.

Henry took a second to really observe him. His skin was a shade darker than his or Addie's and he had a tightly-shaved scruff of dark facial hair and a buzz cut. Across his left eye, he had a scar as if someone had sliced downward and away from above the inner part of his eyebrow to the outer part of his upper cheek with a knife. The guy's dark jeans and tool-belt hung low on his hips and his shirt was torn and dirty. He obviously recently got done work. Henry wasn't sure who this guy was in whichever land he came from, but he was not someone he recognized. He was also very curious as to how he got that scar.

As he watched, Addie laughed at something the guy said before turning and walking toward the front door of the library. Before Henry could feel relieved that she was walking away from him, the guy placed a hand on her arm, turning her back toward him, and stepped in close. Henry watched in a raging jealousy as Addie smiled at him again, nodding, before turning away again. This time the guy let her go but continued to watch as she walked through the door.

He couldn't control the boiling anger and jealousy in the pit of his stomach. Addison had been flirting right back with this random guy. Was that nod an acceptance to see him again? Henry knew he was getting ahead of himself, but he couldn't stop the thoughts racing through his head.

Henry felt his phone buzz in his pocket and, without looking, knew it was Addie asking where he was at.

What was he supposed to do now?

He began walking down the stairs to the lower level of the building where the library was located. Henry knew he was still, obviously, going to apologize and show her their place. As he walked into the elevator and pushed the button for the ground floor, Henry swallowed and tried to keep any wayward emotion off of his face. He sighed as he stepped out of the elevator only to come face to face with her brilliant smile.

"What were you doing up there?" Addison asks, tilting her head slightly in confusion.

Henry forces a smile onto his own face, "Come on, I'll show you."

He feels his smile falter as they step back into the elevator. She seems happy after her conversation with that guy, and all Henry wants is for her to be happy, despite how sick it makes him feel. He decides right then and there that she doesn't need to know the prophecy right now. And she sure as hell doesn't need to know his feelings.

**...OUAT...**

Killian's mind was still reeling and his mate did not seem to be faring much better. They had just recently gotten off the phone with both of their wives, who gave them the dreadful news about the Dark One being summoned by the creator of all things dark.

"Regina sounded concerned." Robin finally says, as if he is simply trying to make conversation.

"Aye," Killian agrees, "They both did."

Silence falls over the two men. They are close to reaching the trees at the edge of town, which means the end of their patrol at the moment. As much as Killian loves his job, he can't wait to get home to his wife, daughter and, hopefully, his step-son, if the boy chooses to stay with them tonight, even if their evening will most likely consist of more discussion on this topic. With a glance at the archer, Killian knew he was thinking the same. Though he obviously preferred patrolling with his wife, Robin was a good partner. Emma had hired him when she found out she was pregnant with Elizabeth so that the station had some extra help while she was on maternity leave, but he had proven himself a hardworking deputy so she allowed him to stay even when she came back.

"What do you know of The Destroyer?" Robin interrupts his thoughts.

"Only of what I have heard through legend." Killian replies, "His name Abaddon, and he is more mystery than man. Born from darkness itself, The Destroyer become the embodiment of darkness. Legend says he created his Kingdom of Darkness in a land that could be the pits of Hell itself, and that he sits on a thrown made of the bones of souls he has destroyed inside a castle that burns bright with flames that never cease."

Robin whistles in disbelief as Killian continues.

"Legend also tells us that he created the Dark One's dagger with a blank name so that when he found someone he deemed worthy to receive his legacy, this person would be given the dagger, on which the name would appear, and he shall become the Dark One. This Dark One shall do The Destroyer's bidding, spreading his dark soul across the lands until being destroyed by an even darker soul, who then shall become the new Dark One."

"Damn." That one word seemed to be all Robin could get out at the moment.

"Aye."

After a minute, Robin speaks again. "Addison. Her arriving following the start of these disappearances, and now this, cannot be a coincidence."

"That was my conclusion as well."

"These disappearances have to be related to the Destroyer. Something must be happening involving him, whether it means he is arriving here, or –," he shakes his head, "I cannot even fathom."

"My thoughts turned toward this cult that Swan believes has formed," Killian tells him, "Perhaps they are merely doing his bidding."

"If that is what is happening, we are all in trouble."

Killian starts to respond when something catches his eye at the edge of the tree line. He throws his arm out in front of the other man to halt his steps and nods in the direction of the object. It looks like a man's leg sticking out from behind a tree.

Robin lifts his crossbow as Killian unsheathes his sword as quietly as possible.

As the two men approach the leg, they notice that it is, in fact, attached to a man. The _body_ of a man to be exact. For as soon as they got close enough, it becomes apparent to Killian that this man is no longer alive.

The leg that Killian had noticed before was sticking straight out while the other was bent backwards at an odd angle. His arms were splayed out to the sides and, it was clear, the rust-colored stain underneath the body was, at one point, a pool of blood. One of the dead man's eyes was open, blankly staring at the edge of the forest canopy. The other was swollen shut with dried blood from the deep cut that sliced across the socket. The reason for this poor man's death was clear with one glance at his chest through his torn shirt: someone had cut him three times purposely so that the wounds formed a jagged letter "S".

Killian had seen a lot of death in his life, many times causing it, so when he saw the "S", it was clear to him that it was a message. The chest wounds were deep enough that it was clear that at least one puncture to the heart was the cause of death. As to the "S", Killian was not sure what that meant.

He looked up at the archer, who was wearing a look of utmost shock and revulsion, his weapon of choice falling to his side. Knowing his friend well enough to assume he had reached the same conclusions as he, Killian returned his gaze to the body. What the bloody hell was going on in this town?

* * *

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** Henry is jealous of Addie and Avery's new friendship, the cult leaves a message, Emma and Addie confide in each other, and Addie shows some interesting new talents.

**Reviews?**


	5. Trust is Truth

**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

* * *

**Chapter Rating:** T

**Chapter Date: **May 2018 (Ages: Henry – 17, Addie - 16.5, Roland – 10, Neal – 5, Juliette – 3, Elizabeth – 3, Dani – 7 months)

* * *

CHAPTER 5: TRUST IS TRUTH

_She was crying. The emotion had become too much and she had lost control. The entire room was spinning in chaos. There were papers and chairs and flowers flying in a vortex above the heads of the entire crowd. People were screaming, but she could not hear them. _

_Her heart was beating loud in her chest and echoed in her ears. Her vision was blurred except when focused on the cold, lifeless body in front of her. The old man in the coffin could easily have been asleep. He looked peaceful; the complete opposite of those in attendance to his funeral._

_Addison knew that she had to reign in her emotions. That was the only way for the chaos to end. She had to put her emotions in a box, just as she was taught. Only then could she regain control of the situation. However, it had never been this bad before. She had never lost anyone before; not that she every really had anyone to lose._

_She forced her eyes to leave the dead man and turn back to the crowd of people. Some looked angry, some confused. Others looked down right scared and upset. Her eyes zeroed in on the couple standing to her right. The woman was furious; her brown curls flying in the wind made her look terrifying. She could see a young boy peeking out from behind the woman's legs. The look in his eyes was fear, but somehow she knew it was not of her but for her. She expected the man next to her to look more disappointed than angry, though she assumed he definitely was both. However, Addie was surprised to see him looking as furious as his wife. She definitely did not expect his next words._

_"Get out of here!"_

_It was as if her heart had dropped out of her chest and into her stomach. The pain of his rejection and dismissal stung worse than any injury. She wanted to yell at him, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" She wanted to tell him that she had nowhere else to go, but couldn't form the words. He didn't want to see her again; none of them did. The anxiety bubbled in her stomach and made her feel sick, but she ran._

_She ran out of the building and down the street as fast as she could. She ran for what felt like miles, dodging cars and people. Her tears blinded her, but her feet knew where to go. _

_"Get out of here!"_

_She heard his voice echoing in her ears._

_"Get out of here!"_

_She already missed the people who sent her away._

_"Get out of here!"_

_She would never see them again._

Addie awoke with a start to the sound of wind blowing somewhere close to her head and someone yelling. It took her a minute to realize it was her. It took her another minute to notice the objects flying in a vortex above her bed.

**...OUAT...**

"What the hell?"

Henry had woken to Addie's desperate shout of "I didn't mean to!" from the next room. Before he could even process what he was doing, he had instinctively grabbed his sword and burst through her door. He did not know what he was expecting, maybe her being attacked by some new villain, but it definitely wasn't her sitting up in bed, having a panic attack, while all of her possessions floated around her in a raging vortex.

Coming to the conclusion that she was not being immediately attacked, Henry gently placed his sword on the ground and closed the door behind him, so as to not wake anyone else. He hurried over to the girl. She was staring at the swirl of objects above her, but was clearly unfocused. At first Henry did not think she was even awake; however, her eyes were following the collection of her clothes, books, and other possessions in a circle. She seemed to be having trouble taking a deep breath.

Henry quickly climbed into bed, kneeling in front of her and grabbing her shoulders tightly. "Breathe."

Her eyes snap to his as if only just noticing he was there, and Henry breathed his own sigh of relief at their refocusing. She was breathing heavily and he continued to rub his hands up and down her arms, all the while staring into her eyes, until she calmed down.

Eventually, one by one, Addie's floating objects begin to return themselves to their rightful positions.

"What happened?" Henry asked when he believed her to be comfortably relaxed.

"Dream." She whispered.

"Another memory?"

"I think so."

"Want to tell me about it?"

"Not really." She sounded small, so unlike her usually confident, demanding self.

"Do you want to be alone?"

"Nope."

Feeling slightly pleased that she wanted his company, even if it was two o'clock in the morning and he had to be up for school in a few hours, Henry scooted around so that he was sitting beside her in the bed. He wrapped his arms around his knees, unintentionally mimicking her position.

Realizing that she was not going to start talking without a push, Henry asked her, "So are you going to explain how that tornado formed in here?"

She sighed. "What do you think?"

"Well, I think that looked like magic, but that doesn't make any sense considering you are from this world. Besides, even if by some miracle you could use magic, you would have told your best friend." Henry tried to sound less accusatory than he felt.

She looked at him guiltily. "Or maybe I have been noticing it happen on and off since I arrived here and considering I don't have any memories of how to control my magic, or even having it at all, I wanted to figure it out for myself first."

"You know, my family is kind of an expert at this kind of thing. You could have talked to me."

"I know, I'm sorry. I feel like this habit of closing myself off and keeping things to myself is something I have always done."

Henry's eyes softened.

"I just want you to trust me." He reached over and grabbed her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.

"I do trust you." She responded with a small smile.

"Good."

She was looking intensely into his eyes, and he was looking right back. She was mesmerizing. The only light in the dark room came from the moon's glare through the window. In the faint light, Addie's skin seemed to have a pale glow, and Henry was overcome with the need to touch it.

He slowly raised a hand and brought it to her cheek, his heart skipping a beat when she leaned into his touch. Henry hesitated. He knew what he wanted his next step to be but he was nervous. She looked as if she was waiting for him to make a move. And, boy, did he want to. He loved her but she was his best friend.

His hesitation lasted a moment too long. As she pulled back, Henry wondered if he imagined the slight flash of disappointment cross her face.

Addie yawned as she laid back down, pulling the blankets up to her chest. Accepting that she wanted to sleep and realizing that he probably should as well, Henry got up to leave. However, before he took one step, he felt her hand wrap around his wrist.

"Wait," that unusually vulnerable look returned to her face and Henry could tell she was trying to get up the courage to say something, "Stay with me."

Henry's heart sped up. Was she serious?

He watched as she made room for him and lifted the blanket as a signal to crawl under. Shaking slightly, Henry climbed back into her bed and laid down on his back. He stiffly drew the blankets back over the two of them. She smiled shyly as she scooted closer. Slowly, almost hesitantly, Addie pressed herself against him, placing her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest.

Henry wrapped his arm around her waist and took a deep breath, trying to ignore his body's natural reaction to her close proximity. He lay awake for a while longer, listening as her breathing evened out and fell into a natural rhythm.

Not long after, he fell asleep with a smile on his face.

**...OUAT...**

Killian sped up as he noticed the crowd surrounding the library. He had been called in by Belle after a library patron had expressed her concerns to the librarian about the vandalism coating the wall on the outside of the brick building. He had no idea what could be drawing a crowd this large.

"Out of the way!" He yelled over the panicked voices, "Deputy Jones at your service! What seems to be the problem?"

Before anyone could respond, the graffiti came into focus and he froze.

'GIVE THE DESTROYER THE HEALER OR ONE CITIZEN WILL BE SCARRED EVERY DAY'

There was another picture of an eye with a scar through it right under the words. Both looked as if they were written in blood. Damn. Things had just gone from bad to worse.

Killian pulled out his mobile phone and quickly dialed the familiar number of his father-in-law. David would know what to do and he did not want to bother his wife on her day off, even if she was the sheriff.

"Hello?" his voice sounded on the other end of the call.

Killian was about to explain to him what had happened, when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that young man that Addison had been hanging around with lately. Avery? He thought that was his name. Despite the fact that he had never caused any trouble in the town, the boy had recently been raising suspicions in Killian. Maybe it was simply the fact that Killian was rooting for his step-son in the obvious battle for Addie's heart. Or the fact that he had a scar across his left eye that was eerily similar to the picture in front of him as well as that found on the victim in the woods.

As he watched, Avery smirked at the graffiti before taking off swiftly down the street.

"Hello, Killian?" David's voice echoed through the device against his ear. "Is everything alright?"

"No." He replied firmly, keeping his eyes trained to the retreating figure. "No, it's not."

**...OUAT...**

"So let me get this straight. You slept with her, but didn't _sleep with_ her."

Henry sighed. "Exactly."

He was long past regretting sharing this information with his small group of friends. That was probably the tenth time Ava had asked him that exact question.

"Ava, just because you can't get near someone of the opposite sex without jumping them, doesn't mean everyone is the same."

Henry felt his mouth drop open and he turned to Paige in shock. Paige, or Grace, as she answers to both, was always the kindest, most soft-spoken girl Henry had ever met. Nicholas caught his eye and burst out in laughter.

"It's official," the teenager laughed, "I've corrupted you."

Henry shook his head, chuckling. It was true; everyone always assumed quiet Paige would end up with Henry, but she shocked her friends and father by going after trouble-maker Nicholas Zimmer. Not long after they got together, Paige seemingly grew an opinion of her own and a witty tongue to follow.

Ava was still spluttering next to him as her friends and brother laughed at her expense.

The four friends were lucky enough to get the same lunch period at school, despite their different academic interests and schedules. For Henry and Paige, it was the dreaded junior year course load, meaning they had to work extra hard. The two, having been close friends for years, spent a lot of time doing homework together during their study period, even though Henry's focus was on English and Paige's was on art. The Zimmer twins, on the other hand, are showing classic signs of senioritis. Not that the two ever studied in the first place; Nick spent too much time in detention and Ava was blessed with a natural ability to do well in school without even trying. Ava planned to put her brain to use as a social worker for children in the same situation that she came from after graduating this year and Nicholas decided to follow in his father's footsteps and help run the family garage.

"Putting my behaviors aside," Ava said, looking more impressed than angry at her friend's comment, "My point was that Henry is a normal teenage boy, as far as I know" – Henry glared at her as Nick snickered – "and you had to be thinking of _it_ when you got into bed with her."

"That's beside the point." Henry defended himself, "Listen, I only brought this up because I'm confused."

"What's confusing about a girl inviting you into her bed?" Nick asked, "If she didn't want you, she wouldn't have let you stay."

"Yeah," Paige agreed, "Maybe she feels the same about you as you do her but just doesn't know how to say it. She clearly trusts you enough to let you stay and comfort her when she was upset."

"I'm confused," Henry explained, "because I felt like last night had meant something for the two of us, but then this morning she mentioned that she was meeting _him_ for breakfast."

"Who? Avery?" Ava said, raising an eyebrow, Henry noticed Paige blush slightly at his name, "Because I can't really blame her for that one. He's hot."

"Yeah," Henry practically growled, "She still hangs out with him and I just don't get it. I mean, we'll be talking and having a great time together and I think that something more might happen between the two of us, then suddenly, the next day she's hanging out with him again. I just have a bad feeling about him; he's no good for her."

Nick and Paige exchanged a look and Ava seemed to be deep in thought.

"Really?" Henry exclaims, "None of you have anything helpful to say."

"It's possible," Ava begins, "that she is denying her feelings for you out of fear because you are really the only friend she has and doesn't want to lose that. Avery could be the distraction she needs; she sees him every time something happens between you to try to ignore how she feels."

Paige nodded in agreement to her friend's conclusion while Nicholas looked as clueless as Henry felt.

"Well, what do I do about that?" Henry asked desperately.

"Show her that you are worth taking that risk." Paige said with a smile. "And maybe we could meet her so she can have some other friends around here."

"Yeah," Ava agreed with a smirk, "May the best man win. Then let me do Avery."

**...OUAT...**

Emma watches the girl out of the corner of her eyes as they walk along through the sand. She insisted that they take a walk along the shoreline after meeting for lunch at Granny's, and she knew Addie was more than curious.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Addie asked with a glance in her direction.

The sheriff took a second to think about her response. The girl was very similar to herself; she was likely to put up a wall and refuse to answer honestly if she felt like she was being interrogated. Emma knew she had to share something first to prove her trust, despite the fact that she had definitely earned it in the months since she arrived.

"I wanted to tell you something," Emma replied, turning to face Addie.

The girl looked at her curiously, almost suspiciously, waiting for her to continue.

"I'm having another baby." Emma blurted out, not even trying to hide her excitement. Addie's eyebrows shoot up. Clearly, that was not what she was expecting.

"Congratulations." Addie replied after a second, "But why are you telling me like this?"

Emma smirked. She knew it wouldn't be that easy with this girl.

"Am I not allowed to share some news with a girl that I consider another daughter?" Addie looked away and Emma's eyes softened at the girl's obvious embarrassment. She knew Addison still struggled with the concept that she was accepted as part of the family; Emma really saw herself in the younger girl. "But I was hoping you would share something with me too."

"I guess it depends what you want to know." Addie said with a small smile, finally returning her gaze to Emma's.

"I was just wondering what is going on between you and that Avery kid."

Addie took a deep breath as if she were considering whether she wanted to answer or not.

"Did I mention that I haven't even told Killian about the baby yet?" Emma added, with a slight nudge to the girl's shoulder.

Addie's eyes widened, "Seriously?"

"Yeah," Emma nodded, "I literally just found out. I'm planning on telling him tonight. So? Avery?"

"We're friends."

"Uh huh. From what I heard, that kid has never had any friends. He has fan girls" – Addie smirked – "but has never shown them much interest."

"Well, I don't know about him, but I do know why he interests me."

"And why is that?" Emma asked curiously.

"He reminds me of someone." Addie looked almost lost as she answered. "Obviously, I don't know who, but I feel like I knew – I know – someone who he reminds me of. Does that make sense?"

Emma nodded slowly. She could understand where the girl was coming from; trying to hold on to any semblance of a reminder of her forgotten past. It still didn't make sense to the sheriff why one mysterious, bad-boy was the thing that sparked a memory.

Before she could respond, Emma's phone beeped, signifying a text message. She pulled out her phone to check the message but it slipped from her fingers. In an effort to catch it, Emma automatically turned to magic to freeze the phone before it hit the ground; however, instead of halting it in midair like she has done a dozen times, the phone took a sharp left backward and flew into Addie's face.

"Sorry!" Emma exclaimed, as Addie handed the phone back to her. The girl looked more amused than insulted.

"What just happened?" She chuckled as Emma grabbed her face, checking for any sign of injury.

"I was trying to stop that from falling," Emma said, embarrassingly, at the girl. "But I forgot for a second that magic becomes almost uncontrollable when you're pregnant."

"Interesting." Addie responded, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Anyway," Emma said dramatically, much to Addie's amusement, "Killian wants me at the station. Wanna come along?"

**...OUAT...**

David watched the young man in the interrogation room, who had a look of clear frustration on his face. When Killian had called him earlier and explained his suspicions about Avery, David had agreed with his concern wholeheartedly. He too had noticed how similar the kid's scar was to the graffiti pictures. David had told his fellow deputy to ask Avery to come in for questioning and, at first, the kid seemed to be agreeable; however, after being here an hour, he was proving to be very uncooperative.

The deputies would have let him go a long time ago if it weren't for the fact that, after his initial agreement to the interrogation, he has sidetracked every question.

"His avoidance at answering us honestly is only proving to increase my suspicions." Killian told him.

"I agree," David responded, "Did you text Emma?"

"Aye."

David looked at his son-in-law's guilty look. "Don't feel bad. You know she told us to call if anything came up."

"I do know that," he replied, "She just deserves a bit of quiet on her day off, especially since she hasn't been feeling well lately."

"That she does," David smiled at the thought of his daughter, though slightly concerned over the news that she hadn't been feeling well, before turning back to the window showing the interrogation room. "Shall we give it one more shot before she gets here?"

Killian nodded, walking over and pushing open the door.

Avery looked up as the door opened, his passive face contrasting to the obvious anger radiating from his skin.

"What's my sentence, officer?" he said sarcastically as David sat across from him. Killian bypassed the spare chair in order to stand intimidatingly next to his suspect.

"Your sentence," David sighed, "is to actually talk to us. We have been at this nearly an hour and all we want is some answers. You weren't a suspect until you decided not to cooperate."

"Aye," Killian added, "It is your reluctance to answer a simple question that makes us suspect your involvement in the crimes."

"Will you answer?" David looked at the kid intently.

He stared into the deputy's eyes for a moment before nodding slightly.

"Good." David sighed in relief, "First, can you tell us why you were at the library this afternoon around the time the vandalism happened?"

"There was a crowd. I wanted to see what was happening." He answered curtly.

David exchanged a look with Killian. It was clear his friend did not believe the boy.

"Okay, but you had to have been close enough to notice the crowd."

"I was just walking by."

"Fine." It was clear Killian was barely controlling his frustration at the kid's short answers. "You just happened to be walking by and saw a crowd and decided to investigate. Then why the bloody hell did you smile at that horrible message?"

David watched as his friend automatically reverted into his Captain Hook persona in an attempt to intimidate the kid into talking. Avery eyed the hook warily.

"Well?" Killian growled.

Avery stood up, his look of caution morphing into one of defiance.

"Sit down and answer the question." David demanded.

Before he could even blink, Avery was moving. With a glint, the knife that had been concealed in his shirtsleeve swung forward and embedded itself into Killian's chest.

"No!"

David dived at the kid, tackling him to the floor, but Avery quickly flipped him over and slammed his head against the floor. Dazed, it took the deputy a second longer than usual to get to his feet. He watched as the now wanted criminal retrieved his knife and fled from the room. David was about to run after him but hesitated.

He glanced at his bleeding friend on the floor. Killian needed him more. David felt his heart break; that wound did not look good. With one hand, David dialed 911 on his cell, while simultaneously pressing his hand to Killian's chest to stem the blood flow.

Killian let out a shout at the contact. "Bloody Hell!" His eyes were beginning to look unfocused.

"Hold on, Killian," David muttered desperately, "The ambulance is on the way."

**...OUAT...**

With an arm around the younger girl's shoulders, Emma enters the sheriff's station cautiously. She had thrown her arms around Addie good-naturedly on their walk home, feeling closer to the girl then ever, until she felt a sharp pain her chest a few minutes ago. The pain was so intense that it almost brought her to her knees and Addie was the only thing keeping her steady. She somehow knew that it meant something was wrong with Killian. Not wanting to alarm Addison more than she already had, she did not say anything, but sped up anyway.

Her blood runs cold the second she steps foot in the office at the sight in front of her.

She barely hears Addie's sharp intake of breath as her eyes zero in on her husband's body on the floor. He seemed to be unconscious, breathing raggedly and was clearly lying in a pool of his own blood.

"Killian!" she yelled, collapsing at his head and pulling it up to be cradled in her lap.

Her father looked up at her arrival, his eyes filled with unshed tears as he pressed down on the wound in an effort to stop the bleeding.

"What the hell happened?" Emma yelled, tears springing to her eyes. She cursed herself silently for never mastering more than simple healing magic.

"Avery." David sounded broken and angry at the same time, "We were questioning him and he pulled a knife out of nowhere. The ambulance is on its way."

"What?" Emma did not even notice that Addie had kneeled next to them until she muttered that word.

Emma's heart broke. She knew the girl was drawn to her new friend but she was too preoccupied with her dying husband in her lap.

"Oh, Killian," Emma whispered into his ear, "Stay with me. You're going to be alright. You have to be okay!"

She barely heard her father's murmured reassurances.

Killian gasped, then stilled.

"No!" Emma sobbed, tears flowing freely down her face. "Come back to me, come back to me!"

She kissed him desperately, in hopes that their true love would save him as it has before. Nothing happened.

Emma's eyes snapped up at the sudden movement from Addie. The girl reached forward and placed one hand on the upper part of Killian's chest and the other a little lower on top of David's on the wound. Her eyes were closed, her forehead scrunched in determination.

She heard her father gasp and withdraw his hand as if it had been stung.

"Addie, what –," David's voice trailed off as the girl's hands began to glow.

Emma gasped for breath. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening because there is no way her husband, her pirate, her true love was dead. And it definitely was not possible that Addie's hands were on his body, glowing.

Suddenly, Killian let out a yell of pain.

Emma felt her heart soar. He's not dead. At least not anymore. Whatever Addie's was doing brought him back. She looked at his fluttering eyelids in disbelief.

David's gasp of shock drew her attention down to the stab wound. Emma gasped in disbelief at the sight in front of her. Killian's wound was closing right before her eyes.

Normal magic should not have been able to heal a wound that bad; Killian had been too far gone.

"Emma, love." Killian groaned from her arms. Emma kissed him hard, her tears flowing onto his face. She was not letting him go.

"Oh God, Killian, stop doing this to me!" She kissed him again, "I love you."

"I love you, too, Emma."

Too soon, Killian was pulling back and looking at his chest. His eyes flashed between hers, David's and Addie's as if he did not know how he got there.

"What happened, mate?" He asked with a glance at David.

"What do you remember?"

"I remember that bloody bastard stabbing me. I must have hit my head when I fell because the next thing I remember is waking up right now. How am I alive?"

"That is the question." David replied. All three adults looked to the girl beside them. She was now sitting back on her heels, looking back and forth between Killian and her hands. She held them palms up in front of her face as if she had never seen them before.

"Addie?" Emma prompted, "What the hell was that?"

The girl shook her head, either unwilling or unable to speak. Emma placed a hand on Addie's shoulder but she jumped up and took a step back, eyes wide.

David stood up and took a reassuring step closer to her. Emma was about to do the same when she felt Killian grab her arm.

"Help me up, love."

"No, Killian, you just –,"

"Please, Swan, I'm fine."

Emma hesitated for only a moment before sighing and wrapping her arms around Killian's waist, pulling him to his feet. She refused to move her arm even when he got his bearings.

"Addie –," David began, but she shook her head again and interrupted.

"I don't know what just happened. I've never done that before; my magic's never done that before. It was like a reflex, like something took over me."

Emma exchanged a look with his father. She knew they were both thinking the same thing. This is it: proof that she's _the_ Healer.

"How long have you known you have magic?" Emma asked her.

Addie looked into her eyes, cryptically, "A while."

"It doesn't matter," David said, clearly sensing that Emma was about to begin questioning the girl relentlessly, "What matters is going after that kid before he hurts someone else."

"Right," Emma agreed, "He's not getting away with this."

"No he won't," her father shook his head, "I only have one question: Who the hell is Avery Baka?"

* * *

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** Henry flirts with Addie, the cult emphasizes their message, Emma gives birth, and Addie learns a secret about herself.


	6. Change

**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

* * *

**Chapter Rating:** T

**Chapter Date: **November 2018 (Ages: Henry – 17.5, Addie - 17, Roland – 10.5, Neal – 5.5, Juliette – 3.5, Elizabeth – 3.5, Dani – 1)

* * *

CHAPTER 6: CHANGE

It has been six months since he'd stabbed the deputy, six months since he has shown his face in public, six months since he has seen _her_. Addie.

Avery missed her terribly. When he first met Addie, he flirted instinctively. He wasn't oblivious to the girls who stared at him since he arrived in Storybrooke, but he was never interested in involving himself with them. He enjoyed the tease of course, but it was just easier to keep his head down. However, with Addie it was different. For the first time in a long time, Avery wanted to get to know her.

That hadn't happened since Kiara.

He missed her too. Back all that time ago in his home kingdom, a few months before the initial curse that brought them all to Storybrooke, when he still went by his given name of Kovu, Kiara was his entire life. They were childhood friends destined to be kept apart. She was the princess and Avery was just the illegitimate son of the infamous Scar and the certifiably insane witch, Zira. He still remembered the stories his mother always told him of Kiara's ruthless father, King Simba.

He knew the true story though.

His father had killed his own brother, who was the current king, causing the teenage Prince Simba to run away in grief. Scar then began transforming the kingdom under his rule. This terrible reign only ended with the return of Prince Simba. As per the law of the kingdom, if the crowned ruler was missing for more than a year, a new ruler would take over permanently. Fortunately for the subjects, Simba returned within days of his deadline. The new King Simba banished Scar for all of his crimes against the kingdom, but Avery's father fought back and was killed in his duel with his nephew.

The kingdom was finally at peace with a just and fair ruler. Avery did not mind King Simba, nor his wife, Queen Nala, despite his mother's insistence that they were terrible people and needed to die. Zira insisted that her son was the rightful ruler; however, Avery never wanted that power. He knew his father brought on his own fate with his actions. All he wanted was Simba's daughter, Kiara.

Kiara was a bright, adventurous princess who liked to sneak out of her castle and explore the village. The day he found her walking not far from his home, Kovu's life changed forever. Being raised by an insane, vengeful mother caused Kovu to grow up quickly and independently. He was always alone; his older siblings, Nuka and Vitani, hated him for driving their father away when he found out Kovu wasn't his son. He was miserable and confused at the hatred directed toward him and at his seemingly kind rulers, and Kiara changed all of that. She taught him how to live, how to have fun, how to love. And he did love her, and she loved him in return.

However, this all ended the day the king discovered who his daughter was consorting with. He forbid Kovu from going anywhere near Kiara and he kept his daughter under tighter watch by the palace guards. Without her, Kovu sunk far into a depressed and angry state and his mother, taking advantage of his vulnerability, convinced him to help her plot revenge against the king. She had been in contact with a darkness that he did not understand, but from what he was told, if he aided this Destroyer, he would have whatever he wanted. He would have her. Yet, before their plans could be finalized, the curse brought them all to the Land without Magic with no memories.

About a year ago, Mara, as his mother, Zira, was known here in town, had found a way to once again get in touch with The Destroyer. This time, the plots were bigger than just overthrowing a king out of revenge.

Avery allowed his thoughts to drift back to Deputy Jones. His stab wound should have been fatal, so he was surprised when he heard word of his survival. He didn't reveal to his mother that he was also slightly relieved that the man was alive. He genuinely did like the man up until his interrogation. Mara was so proud to hear of his attack, saying it proved his loyalty to the Destroyer. Yet, being his mother, she was furious that it was not fatal.

He didn't care though. He had been doubting his mother more than usual since the day he met Addie. After all the years of forcing thoughts of Kiara, and the happiness she brought him, out of his mind, Avery was finally remembering her. Thanks to Addie, Avery started to believe he could be happy again. She even reminded him of Kiara; they both had the same spirit and even looked similar, with their pale skin and bright brown eyes. He liked Addie, and could easily see himself falling for her just as he fell for Kiara. For the first time, Avery was even wondering who Kiara was in Storybrooke, if she was even in town; he had never seen her, though it wasn't like he paid much attention to anyone.

As much as he liked Addie, if Kiara were to enter back into his life and want him, Avery would be with her in an instant. They could start a new life here in Storybrooke; he enjoyed this world and believed she would too.

Even if this world was under the impression that, back in the Enchanted Forest, he was a lion, his kingdom was a jungle, and all his fellow citizens were African animals.

Avery was pulled from his thoughts by his mother entering the room and flipping on the light. He blinked in pain; that's what he gets for sitting in a dark room staring at a wall for three hours.

"It's time." She said gruffly as soon as he made eye contact with her. The fact that her eyes were crazed and her hair was sticking up in all directions did not bode well for Avery.

"Time for what?" He cocked his head in confusion. Avery did not know why he was even asking; he never knew where Mara's mind was anymore. Her mental instability only seemed to get worse since the curse was broken and they remembered their past lives.

"Time for our next message, idiot." Mara half shouted, raising her fist as if to hit him but then thought better of it.

"You know we need to be careful," He stood up and faced his mother, ignoring her insult, "Ever since the library incident, they have been on high alert, especially with all of our attacks."

"They brought those on themselves!" She shouted, causing the lights to suddenly flicker wildly, "We told them to hand over the girl and they didn't. Don't tell me you're feeling guilty about the deaths. It's your fault if you think about it! If you had brought us your little girlfriend earlier, we wouldn't need to make threats. And don't you dare include yourself in the attacks. You're too much of a little bitch to actually do anything yourself. It was all Darrell and Vivian."

"And I told you, I didn't know who she was." He growled, suddenly angry. Trying to ignore this insult as well, he turned away from his mother. She was right; his brother and sister did most of the killing. Avery just thought that murder was a sick thing for a mother to be proud of.

He took a deep breath to get his temper under control.

"It doesn't matter now." She began pacing, "It's better this way anyway. Much better. This way we can honor your father in every death while at the same time working for _him_."

Avery shook his head. "I just don't find all the deaths necessary."

"They are, they are necessary! And fun, very fun!" He could see a manic episode coming on and decided to intervene before she got out of control.

"Of course, of course they're necessary." He placed a hand gently on her arm and she smiled at his reassurance. "Why don't you tell me why now is the time to act."

"Come." Her head snapped up as if she just remembered what she was doing there, "I'll tell you along the way. We must go now."

With a sigh, Avery followed his mother from the room.

**...OUAT...**

"I still can't believe you named him Bullseye." Addie chuckled, pressing her face into Henry's shoulder blade.

"What can I say?" She could practically feel his grin, "I've always liked Toy Story."

It was a rather beautiful, mild day for early November and Henry suggested taking advantage of that fact by going for a ride along the shore on his horse. She was currently sitting behind him with her arms around his waist and her head resting on his shoulder, enjoying the closeness. Taking a deep breath, Addie breathed in the ocean as well as the sweet, warm scent that was uniquely Henry, which always reminded her of his favorite combination of hot chocolate and cinnamon.

She wishes she had mentioned wanting to ride a horse months ago.

Turning her head, Addie looked out at the water. The sun was getting low in the sky and she knew the sunset over the water would be beautiful.

"We're almost there," Henry said softly. She could tell he was enjoying the pure peace of the afternoon as much as she. He had told her he knew of a place where the sight of the sunset over the ocean was absolutely magnificent.

She nodded against his back.

"I'm not in a hurry," She told him, "I'm just enjoying the view of the water."

Addie felt him chuckle.

"What?"

"Oh nothing," He replied, "It's just the way you say water."

"Are you going to make fun of me every time you hear me say it," She nudged his shoulder with a chuckle.

"At least until you stop saying 'wooder'," He teased. This was a joke between them every time he heard her say the word. Ava was the one to actually point it out, but Henry would not let it go. The first time Henry introduced her to his friends, at Ava's insistence that she needed more friends of her own and what better place to start then Henry's small group, Addie made the innocent mistake of asking for a glass of 'wooder'. Henry assumed that since it was the only word he noticed an accent on, she didn't come from very far; however, it was definitely not any place he had been before.

She laughed into his shoulder, tightening her arms around him. Addie felt his breath catch at the action and her heart fluttered in response.

Addie questioned why she hadn't just swallowed her fear and kissed him already. She was long past admitting her feelings for Henry, at least to herself, but there was still the fact that she didn't want to lose her best friend and, by extension, his family, if something went wrong. However, the other part of her mind argued that Henry had definitely proven that he was worth the risk. She couldn't imagine her life without him. And she couldn't deny how great it felt to wake up beside him like she did all those months ago when she first allowed him into her bed to comfort her. Since then, she has had many memories come back in her dreams and each time, she finds herself either in his bed or him in hers.

"You know," Interrupted the object of her musings, "In a couple weeks, it'll be a year since you showed up in Storybrooke."

"You're right." She responded, wondering where he was going with this.

"Well, we should celebrate."

She smirked at his matter of fact tone. "How?"

"Let's go out to dinner. Just the two of us." Her heart skipped a beat. The two had eaten at Granny's plenty of times just the two of them, but Addie knew he meant this to be different. She took a deep breath.

"Alright."

"Alright?"

"Yes, alright," She chuckled at his response, "I would love to go out to dinner with you."

"Good."

He suddenly tugged on Bullseye's reigns until the horse stopped. They had reached the part of the coast where the sand gave way into a rocky shoreline. In the distance, Addie could see where the rocks piled up into a mountain overlooking the sea. She knew instantly that that's where Henry was taking her.

Henry jumped down first and offered her his hand. Smiling shyly, she took it and slid off the horse.

Feet finally planted on the ground, Addie noticed exactly how close she was standing next to Henry. He was still holding onto her hand. She felt him place his other hand at her waist and tug her even closer. He looked into her eyes as if he were trying to read her mind, and she stared back into his, memorizing the flecks of green and gold that made up the hazel. Addie knew he was hesitating, just like last time. He never tried to hide his feelings but she had definitely hid hers. She was sure Henry was just as nervous to start something as she.

He leaned closer. Addie could feel his breath on her face. His eyes were fluttering closed, and she placed a hand gently on his chest.

And Henry's phone rang.

They sighed simultaneously as he pulled away from her. He gave her an apologetic look before tugging the phone out of his pocket and looking at the name.

"Killian." He muttered with a longing look at her. Trying to hide her disappointment, Addie gave him a reassuring smile.

"Hey, Killian," He answered, "What's up?"

Addie tried to hear the words from the other side but couldn't so she read Henry's face. He looked slightly disbelieving and concerned at first.

"Really? Already? Is everything okay?" He looked up at her, excitement clearly growing in his eyes, "Yeah, we'll be right there. See you soon."

At her look, he answered with a smile, "I'm sorry but we're going to have to cut this trip short. My mom's in labor. We have to get to the hospital."

"Really? She's not due until next week."

"I know but apparently my brother wants to be here now."

His excited smile faded into a softer one as he looked into her guarded eyes. He slowly walked back toward her and brushed her hair softly behind her ear.

"Look, I know that you know that I like you, a lot," He said quietly, "And I think we need to talk about it."

She nodded, "I think we do too."

"Now's just not the time. We need to get to the hospital to meet my new baby brother."

Addie smiled at him, "Then what are we waiting for?"

**...OUAT...**

"He's beautiful, Emma." Snow gushed at her new grandson.

"That he is," David agreed with his wife, clapping Killian on the shoulder, before glancing down at his son. "Isn't that right, Neal?"

The boy had a look of concerned disgust on his face at the sight of the baby. "Is he s'possed to be that squishy?"

That elicited laughs from around the room.

Killian couldn't contain his joy and pure contentment at the sight around him. Emma, his darling Swan, his amazing wife, had just given birth to his perfect son. His baby girl was tucked up against her mother on the bed gazing down at her little brother with curiosity in her eyes. At three and a half years old, Killian had expected Elizabeth to be jealous and resentful of the new baby, but the awe in her gaze when she laid eyes on the lad for the first time squashed all of those fears. His stepson and the girl he considered a second daughter stood on the other side of the bed with the biggest grins on their faces. David, his best mate and father-in-law, still had his hand on his shoulder in what could only be described as a proud father gesture. Snow tearfully stood on her husband's other side with her young son right in front of her leaning on the bed. His family. Sometimes, Killian still could not wrap his head around the fact that he had a family as caring and protective as this one.

"So do I get to know my brother's name, or is Gramps going to convince you to wait until the naming ceremony again?" Henry asked.

Killian exchanged a look with his wife. She had insisted on naming their son after his brother, overwhelming him to the point of tears. He couldn't wait to announce it but he also knew his son was a prince and he wanted to continue to follow tradition. The former pirate almost shook his head in astonishment at that thought. No matter how many times he was reminded that he married into royalty, it still shocked him to think of his children as a prince and princess, to anyone other than himself as a proud father, of course.

Emma shook her head, "Sorry, kid, but you know how it is."

"I knew you would say that," Henry chuckled, "But it was worth a shot."

"Don't worry, lad," Killian reassured him, "The ceremony will be the day after tomorrow. You don't have much of a wait."

A potluck at Granny's had become the tradition. They were going to announce Elizabeth's name at her birth but David insisted on a coronation ceremony similar to Neal's. Naturally, after giving into her father's request, Emma wanted something small and private. She confided in him that this was one of the many times she was grateful that they had never returned to the Enchanted Forest. A dinner was enough; she did not know how anyone could handle a grand ball with a newborn.

"Will there be a name party for Auntie Ruby's baby too?" asked Elizabeth, her eyes leaving her brother for the first time in a while.

"No," chuckled Snow, "You will be able to learn that little one's name right away."

"Oh." His girl huffed, "That's not fair."

Killian stifled a laugh. Of course is daughter would be more frustrated that she can't learn her brother's name than jealous of all the attention at him.

Laughing, Henry reached out his hands for his sister, who immediately bypassed him and jumped into Addie's waiting arms.

"Oh, I know how it is," He teased, "That's okay, Addie can be your favorite, but I'm going to be this little guy's favorite, and Ruby's kid's favorite."

Both girls chuckled at him.

"Sure, kid," Emma replied to her son, "You are going to have to keep the two of them out of trouble after all. This little pirate teamed with the son of Red Riding Hood and Doctor Frankenstein, well, let's just say, I can hear the chaos now."

The laughter echoing around the room was interrupted by the entrance of Regina, hands filled with a large stuffed crocodile, followed by Roland and Robin, the latter with little Dani in his arms.

"Are we interrupting something?" Regina asked lightly, her eyes finding the baby and softening. Killian was still impressed every day by how much the former Evil Queen has changed. He never thought he would even get along with her at all, much less consider her family. His daughter, and his son too eventually, even calls her Auntie Regina.

"Just predicting the future troublemakers of Storybrooke." Emma smiled at her friend, accepting the gift.

Regina rolled her eyes and was about to respond when her husband interrupted.

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I just received word that there is something occurring down at the convent," Killian noticed that his friend was clearly trying to contain panic so that he did not worry Emma, who, despite just giving birth, would snap into sheriff mode immediately at the first sign of trouble. "If you don't mind, David, would you join me? I am sorry to tear you away from your new grandson."

"Of course," The king replied, obviously noting the tone of the archer's voice as well, "This way both of the new parents can stay," – He raised his tone at that last word with a glance toward Killian and his daughter, who looked as if she was about to climb out of bed – "and enjoy their time with their new son."

Robin nodded, kissing his daughter on her head and handing her off to his stepson's eagerly waiting hands. "Congratulations, by the way."

Killian watched as David said goodbye to his wife and son, kissed Emma and his new grandson on their heads, and rushed after their fellow deputy. He had a feeling this involved the cult and he hoped that they would be able to get this new threat under control soon. Danger was not something he wanted either of his children to grow up accustomed. Killian already experienced more fear as a father than he has any other time in his life, and he especially did not want this Destroyer harming Elizabeth or his new little lad, Liam David Jones.

**...OUAT...**

"Damn."

David agreed with his friend's sentiment as he looked over the words spelled out on the ground with ash next to the now familiar picture of the scarred eye.

'GIVE THE DESTROYER THE HEALER OR ONE CITIZEN WILL BE SCARRED EVERY DAY.'

He and Robin had arrived in time to see the fire department putting out the rest of the flames. David had immediately hurried around making sure the now homeless fairies were unharmed as they watched their home burn to the ground. Fortunately, they were all, physically, alright. Initially, David was unsure as to what caused the fire.

That is until Robin called him over to the pile of ash he found on the front lawn too far from the actual blaze to have fallen there naturally. Written with the black ash clearly against the bright green of the lawn was the same words as was found on the library wall all those months ago. The deputy knew immediately that this was an arson, and that the cult was going to be held responsible.

"They must have taken advantage of the fact that the entirety of the sheriff's department was preoccupied with the new child." The archer whispered to him.

"I agree." David replied, he too in a hushed tone. It was as if the mere tragedy required a delicate tone, contradicting with the obnoxious whirling of the sirens from the fire trucks. "They are getting impatient because we haven't giving in and handed over Addie, so they must have decided to make another statement, this one bigger than the last."

"Why the convent?"

"The fairies." He responded firmly, "They wanted to make a show that they are not afraid to take on magic."

Robin sighed. "That makes them, whomever they may be, more formidable foes than I previously suspected."

"As much as I hate to do this," David frowned, "we need to talk to Emma about this."

"I agree. However, maybe we should start with Regina."

**...OUAT...**

They are waiting in the lobby when David and Robin return. Henry knew immediately when his step-dad and grandfather left the room that something was wrong; they all did. It took an effort from him, Snow and Regina to convince Emma that giving birth was a good excuse to stay in bed for the day and that Killian needed to stay with his family. However, when Regina got the text from her husband that they were on their way back and she left the room to speak to them privately, Henry could not help himself from following.

"What happened?" Regina asked frantically as her husband came into view. He wrapped his arms around her for a second before pulling back and addressing her question.

"It would appear that the cult is becoming impatient to get their hands on Addie. They seem to be more determined than ever to prevent the prophecy from coming –," He trailed off with a glance over Henry's shoulder.

Henry turned to find that Addie had followed him from the room.

"They want me?" She asked breathlessly, wide eyes full of hurt and confusion. "Why the hell do they want me? What prophecy?"

"Addie –," Henry began gently, but she cut him off.

"Don't Addie me," She interrupted angrily, "If there is some prophecy involving me and those murderers, I want to know about it."

Henry exchanged a look with his mother. He knew that Addie had been keeping updated on everything going on in town, especially anything related to the cult. They both had. Henry had been eavesdropping on conversations at the station to learn what he could. Therefore, she knew the cult was after the Healer, but they had specifically kept the knowledge, at Henry's request, of the prophecy and their involvement in it a secret. Regina nodded at him.

"Yes," He sighed, "There is a prophecy and, from what it says, we believe that you and I are meant to be the ones to defeat the Destroyer."

"The Destroyer," Her eyes widened, "The Healer. The one they keep asking for. That must be me. You knew because of the tattoo and what I did to Killian."

"What tattoo?" asked Regina, shaking her head.

"It doesn't matter. I'm this healer, aren't I?"

"We believe so." David answered her.

Addie's expression changed from one of anger to one of despair. "This is all my fault."

At the exchange of confused glances, she continued.

"They are killing a citizen of Storybrooke every single day because they don't have me. I should have turned myself over to them months ago." Her anger returned full force, "Why the hell did no one tell me?"

"Because I knew you would react like this." Henry replied desperately, "I knew that you would want to sacrifice yourself, and I can't let you do that. It's not your fault. We will find another way to stop them. Besides, I was unsure of what your reaction would be to the full prophecy."

Henry knew immediately that he should not have said that last part. She is angry enough; she does not need to know he kept the fact that he is prophesized to be her true love from her as well.

"Oh, so there's more?" Addie said sarcastically, "I don't even want to know. What matters is that all of these deaths are on my hands and I am going to stop this once and for all."

She began striding purposefully toward the front doors, but Henry stepped in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Please," He begged her, "We need you. I need you. Handing yourself over is suicide. I knew you would be angry with me when you found out but we needed time to figure it out."

"Hiding this was your idea?" Her eyes were full of betrayal, "You're supposed to be my best friend. Why would you keep something this important from me?"

"To protect you." He tried to make her understand. Henry knew she would not take that answer well but he did not know what else to say.

"You wanted to protect me at the expense of a hundred residents of Storybrooke." She shook her head in disbelief. "That's not even fair. I can save them."

Henry started to run his hands up and down her arms to try to calm her while his family silently observed behind him, however, she quickly pushed them away and took a step back. He could see the betrayal in her eyes and Henry's shame nearly overpowered him into tears. She shook her head once more before turning and running down the hall.

All Henry could do was swallow down his guilt and watch her walk away from him.

* * *

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** a battle ensues, Addie tries to sacrifice herself, Avery makes a decision, and Henry admits something important with life-changing results.

**A/N I know The Lion King doesn't exactly fit the bill for a "fairy tale" but I've always loved the story and I thought that Avery being Kovu would be an interesting plotline. Obviously, I changed a few things, the biggest being that they were always human.**

**Also, the whole pronunciation of "water" as "wooder" is something that I have been teased for before by friends not from my area. Bonus points to anyone who can guess where I'm from!**

**Review?**


	7. The Power in Self-Sacrifice

**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

* * *

**A/N:** I am changing the rating of this story due to some language I have recently included, as well as some of the content in upcoming chapters. If this is a problem for anyone, I apologize. If not, enjoy. :)

**Chapter Rating:** T

**Chapter Date: **November 2018 (Ages: Henry – 17.5, Addie - 17, Roland – 10.5, Neal – 5.5, Juliette – 3.5, Elizabeth – 3.5, Dani – 1, Liam - 2 weeks)

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CHAPTER 7: THE POWER IN SELF-SACRIFICE

It's the cinnamon that really makes Addie feel guilty about her silence. She was sitting in Granny's alone, just as she has every day for the past two weeks, drinking hot chocolate. Henry had gotten her hooked on the drink in the year she has been in Storybrooke and it was something they initially bonded over last winter during their early morning wake-up and warm-up breakfasts. The guilt settles deep in Addie's stomach as she thinks about Henry.

The night little Liam was born, two weeks ago, was the last time she spoke to him. Despite the fact that they lived in the same house, ate dinner with his family every night and even celebrated at Liam's coronation ceremony together, Addie has thoroughly given him the cold shoulder since she stormed away from him in the hospital lobby. His family knew she was furious at them, specifically him, but they obviously thought it would blow over quickly. Addie knew she was usually quick to anger and quick to forget but, with this, she could not get over right away.

They lied to her.

_Henry_ lied to her.

He was supposed to be her best friend. Maybe even more.

That was the worst part in this whole situation. Henry had just finished finally admitting that he has feelings for her and that he wanted to talk about them, and he betrayed her. She was ready to let down her walls and trust the boy who had begun to poke holes in them in the first place. She was ready to entrust him with her heart. Addie had given up denying to herself that she felt something for him, and she was ready for that conversation. As much as she hates labels, she wanted to call Henry _something_. Boyfriend? That seemed too childish. True love? That seemed to strong. She doesn't think she ever believed in the concept until she showed up in a town full of fairy tale characters. Now, she can see it's real, but that's still too premature of a term for Henry.

Even if Addie can finally admit that she just might be a little bit completely in love with him.

That still does not excuse the fact that he kept something as important as a prophecy from her. She managed to talk Snow into letting her read it a few days after she found out about its existence, and it only made her angrier. It was clear to everyone, especially after her revelation about her tattoo and the whole saving Killian's life situation: she was the Healer. And everyone knew Henry had the Heart of the Truest Believer. This prophecy concerned the two of them, together, and he still did not share it with her.

Addie took another sip of her hot chocolate. She has to admit that not speaking to Henry for two weeks is as much of a punishment for herself as it is for him.

"Hi, Addie." Smiled a heavily pregnant Ruby, as she waddled out of the sitting room in the back of the diner and made her way to the front counter to return the binder with the list of orders. With Granny officially retiring a few months ago, Ruby has completely taken over ownership of the diner and the inn. Of course, Granny will be helping out while she is on maternity leave; however, for now, Ruby has it all under control. That includes opening the sitting room to the local daycare service that lost its home when the convent burned down. The fact that this daycare service happened to be run by Mary Poppins was something that amused Addie, and Emma for that matter, to no end.

"Hello, Ruby," Addie forced a smile on her face, "How are all the kids doing back there?"

"Oh, they're a handful," she chuckled, "But Ms. Poppins has it under control. She has to; Emma only has a couple of weeks left of maternity leave before little Liam will join the group, and this little guy will join soon after." She rubbed her stomach affectionately.

Addie laughed. "Well, she handled Neal and Elizabeth, so I think she is ready for anything." Considering who their parents are, it should be no surprise to anyone that they can be troublemakers. However, they seem to be doing exceptionally well in preschool.

Ruby was about to respond when a loud explosion shook the entire restaurant.

The floor quaked underneath them and the windows rattled dangerously. Addie could hear dishes crashing to the floor from other tables and in the kitchen. The few customers in the diner screamed, a couple of them taking cover under the booths. There were children crying in the back room. Addie rushed over and put her arms around Ruby, holding her steady so she would not fall and injure herself or the baby.

As suddenly as it started, it stopped. Addie shifted her gaze out the front windows of the diner and could see nothing but smoke and debris clinging to the glass.

"Thank, Ad," Ruby's voice trembled, as she took in the damage to her diner.

"No prob –,"

The rattling of a second explosion cut Addie off. This time she dragged Ruby into a crouch, covering their heads, and the two women made their way to the sitting room and the sounds of crying children.

"Stay here." Addie told the older woman, helping her sit on a couch.

Without waiting to hear her expected protests at being rushed away from the danger, Addie took off. She sprinted past flailing customers, stopping only briefly to grab one of the spare swords kept under the counter for emergencies, and ran out the front door, suddenly thankful for her good balance. Addie stepped out into the street and froze.

Where the street was calm yet averagely bustling an hour ago on this normal Thursday morning, it now looked like a warzone. Smoke filled the air. Pieces of shrapnel flew around Addie's head. Figures dressed completely in black and wearing gas masks marched up and down the street, wielding swords, and throwing what looked to be grenades at townsfolk. People were screaming. Addie took a step and had to catch herself before she tripped over a body. Leaning down, she pressed her fingers to the man's neck. Weak pulse, but it was there. He was alive. For now.

Raising her arm to shield her eyes, Addie ran into the chaos.

**...OUAT...**

Henry had heard the explosions halfway through third period algebra. Without a second thought, he jumped from his seat and flew through the door, ignoring his teacher's yells echoing down the hallway. Racing down the halls as fast as his legs would take him, Henry briefly stopped in the gym and sprinted to his locker. In a town full of fairy tale characters, gym class wasn't always dodgeball or badminton; they had sword fighting lessons. He has never been more grateful of that fact than he was at this moment.

Grabbing his sword, Henry slammed the locker door shut and ran from the school. The dust from the explosions was quickly spreading downwind, though he could tell the origin was somewhere between Granny's and the clock tower. His heart was beating wildly in his chest as he prayed that his family was safe. Knowing that they were bound to be in the center of the action, Henry sped up.

He could hear screams and the telling clangs of metal on metal informing him the battle has begun.

"Henry!"

Out of the smoke, his mother was running toward him, Killian on her heels.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She demanded breathlessly, "Get back to school where you are safe!"

"What about you?" He countered quickly, yelling to be heard over the shouts and explosions, "Where's Liam? You're supposed to be resting on maternity leave with him!"

"He's safe with Ruby and I'm fine!" Emma grabbed his shoulders and shook them slightly, "You need to –."

Before she could finish telling him to get back to school, another explosion rocked the ground too close for comfort. His mother flew off of her feet and into his arms. Henry could feel Killian pull both of them to the ground behind an overturned car.

"There's no time for this!" the former pirate yelled at his wife and stepson, "Emma, you know he's not going to leave now, and he can handle himself in a fight! We need to put a stop to this attack before they blow up the whole damn town!"

Nodding in appreciation to Killian's words, Henry asked, "What the hell is going on here anyway?"

"The cult," Emma responded with a sigh, "They've got some kind of magical bombs. It looks like they are just trying to stir up as much chaos and cause as much damage as possible, but something's telling me that those smoke bombs are being used as a distraction, so keep your eyes open."

The small family ducked as a flaming piece of metal flew over their heads and crashed into the storefront behind them, causing the building to go up in flames.

"We need to move!" shouted Killian, "We can figure out their true motive behind this bloody attack after we stop them!"

"No need!" Henry's heart froze in his chest as he saw instantly what, or rather who, the motive of the attack was, "I think I know."

He felt Emma and Killian's heads turn and follow his line of sight. Killian stood quickly and Henry heard his mother's muttered, "Oh no."

Addie was fighting with one of the masked cult members, only she seemed to be the only one actually trying to harm the other. From what little he could see through the dust, Henry surmised she was doing very well; her sword fighting lessons seemed to be paying off, he thought proudly. However, the man seemed to be trying to find a way around her weapon, not attack her with his own. She looked like a goddess in his opinion; her hair blowing wildly in the wind, her beautiful eyes fierce and determined, her hands steady and practiced on her sword. As Henry watched on, the man slipped under her arm and grabbed her waist from behind, but Addie managed to hit him over the head with the hilt of her sword, knocking him unconscious. He was clearly trying to capture her, not kill her.

"This whole attack is a diversion so they can capture Addie!" Emma exclaimed, coming to the same conclusion. Henry noticed that every bomb that exploded upturned an unnatural amount of dust. Magic smoke bomb indeed. The goal was clearly to blind them so they could take her.

"We need to warn her now!" Henry yelled desperately, jumping up so that he could rush to her side as four more masked men surrounded her. "Addie!"

However, before he could get two steps, he felt Killian's arms grab him from behind, holding him back.

"Let go!" He fought back, desperate to run to her aid.

"No, Henry, she's fine for the moment!" Killian yelled back, as Emma stepped in front of him and put her hands on his shoulders to help her husband hold him down, "She's got help! We need to figure out a strategy, not rush into battle fueled by emotions! Trust me, it never ends well!"

Henry's eyes haven't left Addie's fighting form since he noticed her. Killian was right though, she had help. He watched as his grandparents arrived to her aid, before the three of them took off into the smoke.

His eyes left her retreating form and looked into his mother's. Knowing they were right, he nodded.

They needed to defeat these bastards so he can go win his girl back.

**...OUAT...**

The fighting got a hell of a lot easier as soon as Snow and David arrived. Addie couldn't help but be in awe of their fighting skills. They were like a beautifully crafted machine, working together better than any team she has ever seen in her life. Snow stood back, aiming her arrow at the fray, as David rushed the men. He handled the sword as if it were an extension of his arm, slicing and parrying almost effortlessly, despite having two of the men on him alone. While continuing to fight one man, Addie noticed the fourth one drop with an arrow in his chest. Just as Addie had managed to slip past her attacker's defense and run her sword through his abdomen, she noticed David defeating one of his men while the other also dropped with an arrow in his chest.

After taking care of her latest four attackers, David motioned for her to follow them and they disappeared into the dust and took a sharp turn into an alley. She followed without question, even though she was tempted to turn and look for Henry. Addie was sure that it was his voice she heard calling her name while she was fighting.

"Are you alright?" Snow asked, turning and taking her face in her hands, eyes raking up and down her body looking for any sign of injury.

Nodding, Addie was about to tell them that she was fine, when David answered his wife for her.

"No, you're not."

Snow turned her around to look where David was directing and gasped.

"What's going on?" Addie asked confusedly.

"You're bleeding." Responded David, ripping off a part of his shirt so that he could press the fabric to her left shoulder blade, "Can't you feel it?"

Addie hissed as he applied pressure to the wound. "Not until you just did that."

"Sorry," he chuckled sheepishly.

"How bad is it?" She asked, biting down on her lip in pain.

"I've seen worse," Snow replied, "It looks like one of them nicked you with a sword while your back was turned, but it's not too deep. You won't even need stitches."

"Good," She sighed in relief, "because we need to get back out there."

"Oh no you don't," David said firmly, "In case you didn't notice, you're injured, and they are clearly after you."

"It's just a scratch!" Addie protested, "And that's exactly why I need to be out there. No one else is going to die for me!"

Addie could feel warmth in the pit of her stomach beginning to spread throughout her body. The angrier she got, the more emotion she could feel, the warmer her stomach felt. This was the same feeling that she had when Killian died in front of her; she was so overcome with grief for the man who felt like a father to her that she felt this warmth take over. It spread until it was in her head and Addie felt like she was no longer in control of her own emotions or actions. Her magic took control.

She felt David pull his hand back suddenly as if shocked.

"What the –," Snow's voice sounded disbelieving.

Addie felt the pain on her shoulder dissolve into only a dull throbbing until it vanished all together and all she could feel was the slight breeze blowing through the tear in her shirt.

"That's the same thing that happened with Killian." David muttered to no one in particular.

She turned around to face them, nodding. "Yeah, it felt the same as it always does."

"Always?" asked Snow. Addie knew that it made no sense. As far as Snow and David know, the only other time this has happened was Killian's stabbing. However, Addie's mind snapped back to the dream she had what felt like ages ago. She somehow knew that she used magic then too.

"Yes, always."

The King and Queen stared at her in question, seemingly oblivious to the battle raging around them. There was no time to explain right now.

Before they could ask, Addie turned and walked away from them, directly back into the dust.

"Addie, wait!"

Ignoring them, Addie continued to march into what she believed to be the center of the battle field. She knew what she had to do now; the warmth in her gut was telling her that. They were after her, and she was going to give them what they wanted in return for her family's lives. Raising her hands, Addie took a deep breath. With her exhale, she let that warmth burst from her fingertips into the sky, taking with it the dust.

Suddenly, the sky was clear. With visibility back to one hundred percent, everyone froze in shock. There were dozens of people standing and fighting, both citizens of Storybrooke and masked figures alike, with many more on the ground dead. Addie was aware of the fact that Henry and all of his family were staring at her in awe, previous fights forgotten. She noticed Henry looked like he was about to rush to her side and, before he could move, she closed her hands into fists and brought them down to her sides. Opening them again, Addie made a shoving motion behind her where the family was standing.

It was as if some invisible force separated all of the people on the street. All of the masked figures were suddenly being thrown in front of her while all of those fighting for Storybrooke's safety were thrown behind her. Raising her hands up once more, Addie willed there to be a wall between them.

At the gasps and protests, Addie knew she was successful. With a look over her shoulder, she smiled triumphantly when she noticed her family banging on an invisible wall directly behind her.

They were safe.

She looked back at the group of masked figures as a loud cackling drew her attention. The figure walking toward her was dressed the same as the others, in all black and wearing a gas mask; however, this woman exuded a power that the others did not as the sea of black parted for her to get through. Removing the mask, Addie noticed bloodshot, yellowed eyes and a nasty grin on her ashen face. This woman had a crazed look that scared Addie more than her weapons. Strapped to her belt were several of the magical grenades she noticed as well as a few knives.

"Even more impressive than I was told, Healer," The woman said as her way of introduction, "My name is Zira, or Mara, if you prefer my Storybrooke name."

She grimaced bitterly. Clearly, she had something against her Storybrooke persona. Shaking her head, she smiled manically once more.

"I believe you know my son," She said with a wave of her hand to her right. Addie turned to the new figure pulling off his mask to reveal the face of Avery.

"You son of a bitch!" Emma yelled from somewhere behind her. Addie knew she was itching to punch that bastard in the face for what she did to her husband.

She said nothing. He was not the same man she befriended all of those months ago. This Avery looked every bit as resigned and carelessly handsome as her friend; however, he now had dark circles under his bloodshot eyes and a look of shame and panic on his face. His scar seemed more pronounced than it ever has before.

Zira simply cackled again, taking a step forward. "You know what we want. Come with me now, and I just might give your little family a fighting chance."

Addie stared her straight in the eye for a moment. She was never one to back down from a fight, but she could see no alternative at the moment. Her family's lives were at stake. Finally, she nodded slightly.

"No!" Henry's desperate shout was the only reason Addie turned to look at his, at _her_, family. He was standing directly behind her, hands pressed on the invisible wall, unshed tears in his pleading eyes.

"You can't do this!" exclaimed Emma, stepping up right next to her son.

"She's right! We will find another way!" David agreed.

"You're family!" added Killian, breathing heavily, "We don't let you fight alone."

"Addie," begged Regina, "Please let the wall down. I have to say it's amazing; Emma and I have both been trying to tear it down and it's impossible. You are incredibly powerful and if the three of us work together, we might be able to entrap them."

"Might, is the key word there." Addie responded defiantly. "It's too risky."

"Please," Snow pleaded, tears running down her face. "Don't give yourself up. We love you."

Addie felt a lump in her throat as everyone else nodded in agreement. Somehow, she knows she has never felt like she was a part of a family before, not until she met this one. They took her in, not even knowing who she really was, and loved her. She loved them all more than she could say. Which was why she had to do this.

She pressed her hands on the wall, flat against Henry's. Addie looked into his eyes, trying to memorize them, but directed her response to everyone.

"Thank you, all of you, for taking me in when you didn't have to, for giving me something I don't think I've ever really had: a home. That's why I need to do this. I need you guys to live, or this is all for nothing. Tell the kids I loved them."

She glanced around, ignoring their continued protests, making sure she memorized each and every face of her family. The last person she looked at was Henry. His tears had spilled over and he was pressing on the wall as if willing it to break.

"Goodbye, Henry." She whispered, before turning her back on her family and walking toward Zira.

**...OUAT...**

Avery watched as she purposefully turned her back on her family and began walking toward his mother. She couldn't do this; he did not think she would give in that easily. He knew that she obviously thought she was doing the noble thing but he could not help but hope that she had an alternative plan up her sleeve.

She was special. He knew he cared about her immensely. This can't happen. He knew now that Kiara was right all those years ago; there was a better person inside him, one that knew how to break free of Zira's influence. Avery just needed to find the right motivation to unlock that man. And Addie was just that motivation.

After his mother delivered her to Abaddon, she is going to beg for mercy, beg to be dead. Being in the possession of the Destroyer is a fate worse than death. This is all his fault; he could have warned her, he _should_ have warned her. She had been beginning to trust him. They were friends. If he had told her of his mother's plan, he would be on the other side, with her family, where he now knew he wanted to be. He would have saved so many lives and this would not be happening right now.

He had to do something.

Overcome with guilt, Avery frantically took in his surroundings. He had nothing on him; Zira did not trust him with weapons for an attack this critical. He had to do something to break down that wall so that her family could come to her aid and, at the same time, he had to render his mother powerless for the moment. His eyes settled on his mother's belt and he knew what must be done.

Before Addie could take another step, Avery jumped forward, clearly surprising everyone as all eyes snapped to him, and pulled one of his mother's magical bombs off of her belt.

"Kovu!" She roared, "What the fuck are you –,"

He did not give her the chance to finish her manic rage. Throwing the grenade on the ground at his mother's feet, the blast blew him backwards several feet. He noticed his mother had thrown up a quick protection spell to avoid having a limb blown off but she could not control her landing. With a sickening crack, Zira landed on her back, her head slamming into the concrete, knocking her out cold.

Avery glanced around for Addie and noticed that she was far enough away to not be hit; however, the rattling of the ground knocked her off of her feet, which clearly made her lose her concentration. He could tell the exact moment that happened by the sudden barrage of people running in her direction as her force field dropped.

Not wasting a second, Avery jumped to his feet and began yelling at the cult members. "Run! Go home now! Save your identities and your lives!"

They did not need to be told twice. There was a mad scramble in all directions by masked figures as Avery rushed forward and picked up his unconscious mother. With one last look at several people with swords running at him, Avery took off after his siblings in the direction of home.

**...OUAT...**

As soon as he had felt the wall disappear under his fingertips, Henry ran. He did not even think twice. All he could think of was getting to Addie and making sure she was alright. He did not understand where Avery's change of heart came from, but he will be forever grateful. Henry had never been so happy to see a bomb explode in his life.

Henry is the first to reach her. She is only just getting to her feet, shaking her head slightly as if trying to rid it of some dizziness.

Vaguely aware of his family right on his heels, Henry throws his arms around Addie's trembling form, holding her close. He can feel the tears on his face but he does not care. All he cares about is this living, breathing girl in his arms. He has wrapped himself so tightly around her that he can feel her frantic heartbeat in her chest and he knows she can feel his. After only a moment's surprise, her arms are wrapping around his waist, pulling him even closer. Her hands are gripping at his shirt and she tucks her face into his neck. Henry buries his face in her hair, inhaling deeply. He has missed her terribly these last two weeks and he almost lost her today. For a second, Henry doesn't think he'll ever let go.

He starts for a second when he feels another pair of arms come around the two of them, but from the sound of the breathing, he knows it's his mother and relaxes. Henry opens his eyes to see the rest of his family throwing their arms around him and Addie creating one big family hug.

After a few minutes, everyone starts to pull away. His panic finally under control, Henry feels an unexpected burst of anger directed at the girl in his arms. How could she do this to him? He pulls away with a huff.

She looks at him, curiously but guiltily, as if she knows exactly what he is thinking.

"Henry –," She begins, but he interrupts angrily, pointedly ignoring how nice it is to hear her say his name after two weeks of silence.

"What the hell were you thinking?" He shouts, barely noticing the rest of his family taking a few steps back, giving them space but watching intently as if waiting to break them apart if a fight ensues. "Giving yourself up! How could you do that to me?"

She is silent, obviously knowing that he needs to get this off of his chest. He grabs her shoulders, shaking her slightly.

"I don't care what the intention is!" He continues, looking deep into her eyes, knowing tears are running down his face, "Don't ever do something like that again! Losing you would kill me! I can't live without you!" – He feels himself stifle sob as he lowers his voice watching her eyes soften – "I love you."

Henry freezes. He did not want to tell her this way. It was true of course; he was completely in love with her. It just slipped out. He wanted to be able to tell her in a romantic way, preferably privately. Trying to ignore the fact that he knew his entire family just heard his confession, he held his breath, awaiting her reaction and fearing that he may have scared her away.

Her face was passive for a moment, looking into his eyes as if trying to find any hint of a lie. Suddenly, her hands were grasping at his shirt collar and pulling him toward her. His lips met hers in a longing kiss and Henry felt like his heart would explode with the same force that the bomb had minutes ago. She was kissing him. The girl he was hopelessly in love with was kissing him like her life depended on it. Just as he got over his initial shock and began to wrap his arms around her, he felt a burst of energy that blew at him like a strong gust of wind. Henry heard several sharp intakes of breath from his family members whom he only just remembered were still there. He knew exactly what that burst of magic was; he's felt it twice before and seen it many more times. He felt his heart soar. That means she loves him too.

Not a second later, Addie gasped against his lips and pulled back.

Her eyes were wide but her stare was blank, looking through him, as if she was seeing something no one else could see. She was breathing heavily and the second he reached forward and placed a hand on her cheek, she gasped and took a step back.

Addie began looking around wildly, panic clear on her face. Every family member she looked through tried to make eye contact, evidently concerned, but she did not settle on anyone until she looked back at him. She brought one hand up to cover her mouth and the other wrapped around herself as if trying to literally hold herself together. Noticing his hand still outstretched toward her cheek, Addie took another step back away from him.

"Addie, what –," Henry started, feeling his heart breaking at her troubled look and the thought that he caused it.

"I remember."

"What?"

"I remember who I am."

And with one more despairing look, she turned and sprinted away from him and his family. Once again, Henry stood hopelessly watching Addie, the girl he just shared True Love's Kiss with, walk away from him.

* * *

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** Addie tells her story and Avery gets what he deserves.


	8. Everybody's Got a Story to Tell

**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

* * *

**A/N:** This chapter contains some sensitive subjects. I apologize if it makes any of you uncomfortable.

**Chapter Rating:** M

**Chapter Date: **November 2018 (Ages: Henry – 17.5, Addie - 17, Roland – 10.5, Neal – 5.5, Juliette – 3.5, Elizabeth – 3.5, Dani – 1, Liam - 2 weeks)

* * *

CHAPTER 8: EVERYBODY'S GOT A STORY TO TELL

"That's it. I'm going after her."

Emma turns at her son's voice. Henry is marching determinately toward the front door of the diner, sword on his belt and a panicked scowl on his face.

"Henry, wait –,"

"I'm done waiting!" He rounds on her, sounding close to tears. "She's been gone over twelve hours! We should have followed her immediately! Why the hell are we still standing here doing nothing?"

Her entire family has been huddled in Granny's since Addie fled from them this morning after the battle. Everyone was worried but they decided to give her some time to herself. By _they_, she meant herself. The rest of the family would have followed her right away; however, Emma insisted that they go back to the diner to congregate and treat their injuries. Addie would come back when she was ready.

"Henry's right, Emma," Snow intercedes, "We need to find her."

"Agreed." Adds David, "I'll put together a search party."

"No!" Emma exclaimed, trying to think of the best way to explain this to her incredibly close, incredibly _interfering_ family. They don't know what it's like to remember something that makes you want to run. Not like she did. Emma could see it in the girl's eyes the second it happened. She knew Addie clearly remembered something traumatic or complicated and all she wanted was to disappear and forget about it again. She understood that; she had lived that, the day Killian found her in New York after the missing year. "She needs time."

"She's had time." Her mother insists. "Now she needs her family."

Emma understands. She really does. Addie is like another daughter to her and she is desperately worried for her as well. However, she also knows that sometimes you just need to run away. She does it often, even now. If ever she needs to process something, Emma disappears, even if it's only for an hour or two. It always helps. When Addie returns – and Emma was confident that the girl would – her head will be in a better, more controlled place.

"Listen," Emma demands firmly, placing herself between her family and the door. With a quick glance at her husband's supportive smile in the corner, she continued, "I know what it's like to remember a whole life that you forgot. I wanted to run too; I wanted to walk away and forget it all again because it was just too much and that lie was a peaceful oblivion. It took a time portal and a few days in the past for me to realize that what I needed was right here. Obviously, Addie doesn't have that - not that I would want her to - so she needs some space to process it all. Sometimes the past is complicated to sort out and sometimes it just sucks. Either way, she needs to wrap her head around it and figure some things out before sharing it with anyone."

The sheriff glances around the diner, taking in every worried and slightly battered face. Her son was directly in front of her, his expression still one of defiance. Behind him, her parents exchanged a look of silent agreement at her words, but Emma could see the worry and guilt behind their accepting nods. Her brother was asleep in the booth that they only just vacated. Killian sat in the corner, cradling Liam to his chest. Elizabeth was curled up to him, head on his lap, snoring peacefully. Regina and Robin sat huddled in another booth, Dani was passed out on Regina's chest. Roland curled up on the seat across from them, also asleep.

It was late, nearing midnight, and Emma knew that everyone had to get the children home soon, but she couldn't bring herself to let anyone leave. She was determined that they all wait up for Addie. Emma decided the girl needed their support more than anything right now.

Emma continued to look around the room.

The dwarves and a few of Robin's Merry Men, including Anton, lined the bar, drinks in front of them. Granny stood behind the counter while Ruby rested her swollen feet at the table by the window, Victor's arms around her shoulders. Sharing the table with them was Will Scarlett and his wife, Anastasia, both of whom Emma has gotten close with since the whole Snow Queen debacle. At the next table over, Rumple sat with his daughter's sleeping form on his lap and his hand grasping his wife's.

This was her family and closest friends, and each and every one of them cared for Addie dearly. Emma wanted this girl, so similar to herself, to see that she was loved.

Lost in thought, Emma started at the sound of the bell over the door chiming and the breeze of cold air that followed.

**...OUAT...**

The sound of the door opening breaks Henry from the carefully calculated plan on how to get around his mother that was quickly forming in his head.

He barely has time to recognize the familiar head of brown waves before he's moving. Henry throws his arms around her, holding her to him as if he would die without her touch. He could hear the whispers and the sighs of relief behind him. She curled her hands into the soft material of his shirt. The tightness in his chest lightened considerably and he felt himself sighing into her neck. Breathing in, Henry inhaled that intoxicating scent of strawberries and vanilla and something uniquely Addie from her hair mixed with the faint smell of the ocean, which told him she had been hiding out near the shore. It no longer mattered to him that it was midnight and he had been worried sick while she was gone all day.

She was back.

She was safe.

She was _home_.

Henry loosened his grip slightly and tangled one hand in her hair, pressing his forehead against hers. They were close enough that he could feel her breath on his face. It was unsteady. Pulling away so that he could look in her eyes, Henry noticed the look on her face.

She looked broken.

Addie's eyes were bloodshot and the dark bags under them made her look years older. She was just as beautiful as she has always been to him; however, she now looked devastatingly so. Her lower lip trembled slightly and she was breathing carefully, as if trying to prevent a breakdown. From their close proximity, he could see the faint lines running down her cheeks that he was sure were from tears.

"What's wrong?" He does not ask if she is okay; he does not need to.

She pulls away from him and looks over his shoulder, taking in all of the people in the diner. Without answering, Addie takes a step closer to the center of the room. At her movement, Emma steps in and pulls the girl close to her, grasping the back of her shirt with one hand and cradling her head with the other, holding her like a mother would a long lost child. Henry could see the tears in his mother's eyes and knew, despite her insistence that Addie needed space, she was just as worried for her as he. Regina stood up, hugging her equally as hard, as soon as Emma pulled away. Soon, Addie was being passed from arm to arm as everyone who cared for her wanted to hold her close, as if making sure she was really alive.

After a few minutes, Addie is next to him once again. She looks at him and his eyes meet hers, and she speaks before he can repeat his question.

"My name," she begins, her voice hoarse and thick, "is Addison Michelle Rae. I was born in Philadelphia. And I'm alone."

**...OUAT...**

Avery watches as his mother finally comes around.

She has been slipping in and out of conscious all day. He assumes she has a concussion but he, obviously, can't take her to a doctor. Not that he wants to. At this point, Avery wouldn't have cared what happened to her in the explosion, as long as it stopped her from harming Addie or her family. She is going to hate him for this, most likely punish him harshly. He supposed that the concussion was a good thing at the moment.

Just as he is hoping her movement is another false alarm, Zira opens her eyes.

She is clearly disoriented, but otherwise lucid. Looking around, his mother is trying to take in her surroundings. They are in the basement of their old rundown shack that they call home. It's one of many small houses on the outskirts of town in a community of which could be considered a slum.

After realizing where she is, Zira turns to him, furiously. "You son of a bitch!"

She tries to stand, clearly intending to hurt him, but the dizziness takes over and she collapses back on the moth eaten couch.

"Where are Nuka and Vitani?" she growls, still struggling to stand. He doesn't bother to help her.

"Asleep."

His brother and sister are passed out upstairs in the living room. The terrible two were exhausted after beating him for betraying their mother.

"I suppose they did that to you?" His mother gestured to the dried blood and bruises on his face.

"Yes."

"Good." She practically spits as she finally succeeds in standing, though she leans heavily on the arm of the couch. "I'm surprised they didn't kill you for what you did to me. You are no son of mine."

"I suppose they showed some mercy considering I'm, you know, their brother and everything." He replies sarcastically.

"That's fine. I won't."

Pulling strength that Avery did not know she had left, Zira raised her hands and shot him with a burst of magic that made him feel like he was being electrocuted. He screamed in agony as he fell to the floor. On the verge of unconsciousness, Avery squinted up at Zira as she stopped the stream of magic.

The last thing Avery ever saw was his mother standing over him, opening her hand to reveal the knife he knew belonged to his father, Scar, the same knife she used on all of her murders in Storybrooke. She gripped it tight and stabbed downward.

Avery felt excruciating pain in his chest, and then nothing at all.

**...OUAT...**

As soon as the words left her mouth, Addie regretted them. She knew she wasn't alone. At least, not here in Storybrooke. Here, she had her own fairytale family. Literally. She knew they would always be here for her.

The Charmings had proven that.

The Jones' and the Locksley's had proven that.

_Henry_ had proven that.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that," She interjected loudly, after the sudden onslaught of protests began from her family. "I meant I'm alone out there, in my life before Storybrooke."

The diner fell silent. Addie knew they were curious, but she did not know how to tell them of her life, of everything she has had to live through. She did not even know if she could; some of it was just too painful to want to relive, to want to share the burden with the people she loved most in the world.

She continued when she realized they were waiting for her to elaborate, "I just," – Addie struggled with how to word her thoughts – "I had this hope over the past year that there was someone out there who cared about me, who was looking for me. I had hoped that when I remembered, there would be someone I missed, someone who missed me in return, someone who wanted me back. Now I know that's not the case."

Snow took a step closer to her, and the older woman placed her hands on Addie's shoulders.

"Listen to me closely," She said firmly, looking deep into her eyes and squeezing her shoulders with every word. "You are wrong. You. Are. Not. Alone. You are wanted. You are loved. We are all here for you. You will never be alone again."

Addie looked up into the woman's eyes, unable to control the wetness in her own.

"I know."

**...OUAT...**

Henry felt his heart break at Addie's admission of having no one from her past looking for her, but he agreed with his grandmother's sentiments wholeheartedly. She had no idea just how much he loved her, but he planned on telling her and showing her for the rest of his life.

He took a step up behind her and grabbed her hand. She squeezed it tight in acknowledgement.

"Addie?" Henry heard his mother ask hesitantly. "Trust me, I understand completely not wanting to relive your past, especially if it's a really sucky one, but we want you to trust us, to lean on us. If, and when, you are ready, we would really like it if you trusted us enough to tell us your story. We are your family and we already love who you are, but we would like to really know you. All of you."

Addie's eyes met Emma's. She paused for a moment, clearly thinking deeply, before answering.

"I want to. I do trust you. It's just," she looked away shyly, "it's not really a happy story. And I don't even know where to begin."

His mother smiled softly, clearly relieved and honored that Addie was willing to share. "How about you start with your parents? That's kind of where every story starts."

Addie looked away uncomfortably. "They're not around."

Henry watched many of the adults exchange glances. He himself felt sudden anger at these two people whom he has never met, yet had given him such a gift.

"Did they," Snow spoke up sadly and hesitantly, "Did they abandon you?"

"No, they didn't abandon me," She paused as if considering her next words carefully, "At least, not in the traditional sense. I abandoned them."

The room went completely still, aside from the soft snores of sleeping children. Henry was completely confused. What did she mean _she_ abandoned _them_? If her parents weren't around, then clearly they abandoned her. There was no other explanation for a parent leaving a child, unless they were dead, of course.

Suddenly Emma gasped quietly. Henry glanced at his mother. She had a look of someone who just solved a puzzle but did not like the picture it made.

"You're a runaway." Emma stated, not an ounce of question in her voice.

Several people gasped, Henry included. He looked back and forth between his mother and Addie, hoping that she was wrong. If she was right, that meant something horrible had happened to make her need to flee. Henry noticed tears in his grandmother's eyes and knew he had come to the same conclusion.

Slowly, Addie nodded.

"Oh, Addie," Henry heard his other mother murmur sadly.

"How long?" Emma asked quietly, "How long has it been since you left home, since you last saw your parents?"

"Close to six years." She responded, her face impassive.

**...OUAT...**

Six years. This girl willingly left her parents, her family, and hasn't gone back to see them in six years. Emma's stomach crawled at the thought of what could have happened to her that made her leave them and never want to return.

As someone who grew up an orphan, Emma felt almost disappointed in Addie. If she had known her parents growing up, she doesn't think anything would have made her leave them with no intention of ever returning. Then again, as someone who ran away from multiple foster homes, she knows sometimes a home life is just plain screwed up. Besides, she does not know the full story just yet.

"Addie –," Emma heard her father begin, but before he could ask what they all wanted to know, Addie interrupted.

"Don't get me wrong, I loved my parents, and I know they loved me, in their own way. I just couldn't handle the fact that they couldn't handle me anymore."

"What do you mean?" Regina asked.

"Magic." Addie responded simply, before continuing at her questioning look, "From the moment I was born, I showed signs of magic, but they didn't know what it was, what _I _was. Whenever I got emotional, including every tantrum as a baby, I would cause things to happen. Lights flickered, windows broke, toys flew around the room. It scared them so much that they tried to hide me from the world."

"How?" Killian spoke up from the other side of the room. His voice was hoarse, clearly in pain for the girl they consider a daughter.

"My dad's favorite thing to do was tell me to put my emotions in a box and tuck it away where I couldn't find it. They always told me to pretend my emotions didn't exist. They told me not to feel anything. I was always more controllable when I didn't feel, when I was numb to the world."

Emma felt her heart reach out to the girl as images of angry and confused foster parents flashed through her mind. She knew exactly what she went through because she went through the same thing. And they weren't the only ones either; Emma thought that she and Addie should go pay a visit to Arendelle so that they could start some kind of Uncontrollable and Misunderstood Magic Club with Queen Elsa.

Emma's mind was pulled from her thoughts when Addie continued.

"They thought I was crazy." She said angrily, "They even made me see a shrink. He obviously didn't know the answer either so all he could do was give me ADHD meds with the explanation that I was hyperactive. It's no surprise to anyone that they did nothing except make me feel fuzzy. So I stopped taking them."

Addie seemed to only grow angrier as she spoke, and the angrier she got, the more secrets she spilled.

"My mom was always the more intense one because when she got scared, she got angry. My dad was always easier to talk to; I was definitely a daddy's girl when I was little. He was less angry at the situation and more concerned for my safety. But he still didn't understand. None of them did." She paused, eyes far away, clearly seeing things no one else could. "Except Ryan."

"Ryan? Who's Ryan?" Asked David.

"My brother." Addie responded faintly. Her eyes were unfocused but they softened at his name. Emma glanced over at little Neal. She could not imagine her life without her little brother.

"A brother?" Snow exclaimed shocked, "How old was he? What was he like?"

"He was two years younger than me, only nine when I left. He'd be fifteen now." She smiled sadly, "He was the funniest, kindest kid you would ever meet. He was so friendly, so outgoing, and always so full of himself in a charming kind of way. Ryan was the only one who accepted me for who I was, the only one who told me to never stop feeling. He used to put on magic shows for our neighborhood to try to prove to me that I wasn't alone" – Emma noticed Henry look up curiously at that – "and he was convinced that I was meant to be some kind of superhero."

She chuckled dryly.

"Is he the boy from your dream?" Henry asked her. Emma looked at her son, noticing that no one else had any idea what he was talking about either.

Addie smiled at him. "Yeah, that was him."

She was quiet for a moment, the smile slipping from her face. Emma held her breath, hoping she'd continue but, at the same time, not wanting to know what happened next.

"When I was eleven," She scrunched her eyebrows and breathed deeply, "my grandfather got sick. It was sudden and unexpected. During his final weeks, I was not allowed near him. My parents were afraid that I'd kill him, maybe that I was the one who caused his cancer in the first place."

Emma clenched her fists at that, noticing that she was not the only one angered by that statement. Who would blame their child on the illness of another loved one?

"I wasn't even allowed to say goodbye" – Emma's heart broke as Addie's voice cracked – "and I don't think I'll ever forgive my parents for that. The only reason I even knew what was going on at all was because of my grandmother. I don't think she blamed me. At least, she thought I deserved to know more than what my parents were telling me. So she would visit often, when she wasn't at the hospital with him, and she would slip me his charts and patient files that she stole copies of from at the hospital. She was a nurse when she was younger so she knew how to gain access to that information. That's how I discovered my love of medicine; I would read his charts and research his disease. Anyway, his funeral was one of the most public outings I had ever been allowed and I suppose it was for good reason considering I lost control."

"Lost control how?" Regina asked when Addie paused.

"Well, I'd never lost anyone before so I obviously didn't know how to handle it. The second I looked at his body, I was so overcome with emotion that my magic took control. Flowers, papers, women's purses were all flying all over the place. The lights in the church all exploded. People freaked out, including my parents. Of course, no one but my parents had ever seen anything like it before. It caused a panic and my parents were so furious, they told me to leave. I took it to mean that they didn't want to see me ever again, so I ran all the way home, packed a bag, and left. I never looked back. And they never looked for me."

The room was silent. Emma could feel the unshed tears in her eyes for the grief that the girl in front of her went through. She met her husband's eyes and he looked just as upset as she. Emma noticed tears in quite a few eyes around the diner. Her son looked broken as if he would do anything to go back in time to take away her pain from the beginning.

"Where did you go?" David asked quietly.

"The library." Addie chuckled sadly. "I loved to read, loved to learn. I had plenty of time to do so being locked in my house at all times for the first eleven years of my life. Books were the one luxury my parents had allowed me. I had been home-schooled and was years ahead of my actual grade level. I threw myself into my studies because I didn't know what else to do with myself on my own. At night, I hid in a computer lab at the library so that no one knew I was there when they closed up. I slept there, in the local library five minutes from my house for three years. That's how I knew they didn't look. If they had, I would have heard it."

Emma shook her head in disbelief.

"I did what I had to," the girl continued, her expression growing more serious, "I stole when I was hungry or needed clothes and I broke into homes when I noticed the people who lived there were at work so I could use their bathrooms and showers. For a few of the local houses that I knew the families were going to be gone for long hours, I would relax in their homes, watch TV or just sleep in a bed for once."

No one seemed to know what to say. Emma thought about what Addie said and something stuck out to her.

"Only three years?" She asked the girl. Addie looked at her and nodded.

"By the time I was about fourteen, I had pretty much read the entire library. I decided it was time to move on, time to grow up and make something out of my life. So I forged some papers and managed to sign up to take my GED even though I was four years younger than the state requirement of eighteen in Pennsylvania. I passed with flying colors."

Emma was impressed.

"What did you do then?" Regina asked, eyes wide. Emma could tell the entire diner was becoming absorbed into Addie's life story.

"I planned to apply for college. I knew I wanted to be a doctor by that point and I knew college was where to start. The problem was I had no clue how to apply. I didn't even have a home address to use on the application or any money to pay for it, and I was still too young to get a job. I knew I could get away with stealing the money, I had enough faith in my thievery skills by then, but I didn't want to; I only stole what I needed."

Emma smiled proudly. Despite her situation, Addie still managed to hold onto that little bit of morality.

"I decided to move on anyway. I didn't live far from a large university campus, so I decided to find a place to stay there. I figured if I hung around a college enough, I would figure out how to go about getting in."

Addie paused again, and Emma could sense her mood shift from optimistic to something darker.

"That's where I met Chris."

This could not have turned out well. Emma felt her heart sink. She knew from experience that sometimes the wrong man at the wrong time could change your life forever, in the worst possible way.

"He was older, a student at one of the colleges. Avery kind of reminded me of him," She continued, with a significant look at Emma, who clenched her fists at the thought of the man, "He had a crappy apartment right on campus and he was carefree, which is why I liked him. The first time we met it was three o'clock in the morning, and I was still trying to find a place to sleep that night. He walked up to me and flirted, but I kept brushing him off until he called me an emotionless robot, which, for some reason, really bothered me. When I yelled at him that I wasn't, he told me to prove it by following him. Not one to back down from a challenge, I did. We walked a few blocks and he stole this really nice car. It was a convertible and driving around town with the top down was such a cool feeling, that I felt myself actually relaxing and enjoying a carefree moment for the first time in my life."

She paused and smiled slightly.

"We drove out of the city limits onto the highway. There was no cars out at that time of the night so we had the entire road to ourselves. We must have gone two hundred miles per hour –,"

"Addie!" Snow exclaimed, "That was incredibly dangerous and stupid!"

Addie chuckled darkly, "I know. That's why I did it. I had never felt more alive than I did that night. He even let me take a turn behind the wheel" – Snow shook her head – "It's a miracle we weren't arrested."

Emma snorted. She has that right.

"Eventually we returned the car to its owner and went back to campus" – Addie paused, suddenly shy – "And I went home with him."

A few mouths dropped open, including her parents' and Regina's, but Emma wasn't surprised. She wishes Addie never had because this guy sounds like no good, but she knew what it was like being on your own and finally finding someone to make you feel something, even if it wasn't always right.

"He managed to convince me to give up my college plan," Addie continued frowning shamefully, "He said I was too young, college was too hard, and I still had a whole lot of living to do first. So I stayed with him for a few months on campus but gave up on my idea of school. I wish I'd never listened to him."

Her mother smiled sadly from the other side of the room.

"Were you two, you know, in a relationship?" David asked. He seemed as uncomfortable as Addie. Emma noticed her son grimace at that question.

"Yes and no." She responded uncomfortably, "We were _together_, but he wasn't exactly faithful."

"What?" exclaimed a few voices, but before anyone could say anything else in her defense, Addie interrupted.

"It's fine, because I knew and, after a little while, I wasn't either."

Emma felt her mouth drop open at that comment. This man, this Chris, must have messed with her more than she let on. If Addie thought that that kind of relationship was fine, then it was Chris's fault for putting that notion in her head. Emma has been in her fair share of bad relationships, but she now knows that that one was not one of the good ones. That was not okay. If she thinks about it, it was actually illegal; a grown man with a fourteen year old girl. Emma shook her head, resigning herself to have a talk with Addie at a later date.

Addie continued, "After a few months, it wasn't enough for me anymore. I wanted to feel something new, something exciting, like I did that first night in the car with him. So I left. I spent the next almost two years of my life traveling the world doing risky, sometimes downright stupid, things just to feel adrenaline. It was like a drug to me; I could never feel high enough, but it was the only thing that kept me going."

"What kind of things?" Emma's curiosity got the best of her.

"Skydiving, bungee jumping, cliff diving, zip lining through the rainforest, climbing a volcano, you name it, I did it." Addie responded, a look of almost crazed excitement lighting up her eyes for the first time in weeks, "The best part was the traveling though. I discovered I loved to travel. I loved to see new things and new places. The part of me that loved to learn and absorbed every bit of knowledge I could find ate that up. At one point, I was even fluent in five different languages."

Snow's face was incredulous, while Killian's looked simply curious. David's jaw was dropped open and Regina's eyes were wide. Emma was sure her expression did not look any less dumbstruck as theirs. This girl was crazy, but Emma was more impressed. She didn't think she'd have the courage to do some of that stuff, and she was pretty amazed at the whole speaking different languages thing.

"How did you get to these places?" David asked at the same time that Regina asked, "What languages?"

Addie laughed, looking actually happy, "I forged plane tickets the same way I forged my identity to take my GED. As for the languages, English, obviously, then Spanish, Italian, German, and Russian."

Someone whistled dramatically at that. Emma couldn't blame them.

"How did you survive all around the world? Same tactics as in Philadelphia?" Emma asked.

"For the most part," Addie nodded, "I got a bit riskier because the thrill was exciting. You know, robbing high security homes and stores just to see if I could do it. Sleeping my way into a stranger's bed if I needed somewhere warm to spend the night."

At that last comment, Addie looked away slightly embarrassed. It was clear she did not mean to let that slip. Emma felt her jaw drop and noticed she wasn't the only one.

"Eventually though," Addie continued her story quickly, trying to cover up from her slip before anyone commented, "I ran out of new things to see and new things to do, and I decided to go home to Philly to visit. I went back to Chris but was only with him a week before I realized how unhealthy our relationship had been before and that it was never going to change. We got into an argument and I left again."

Addie paused, swallowing. The somber mood in the room returned once again and Emma knew things were about to take a turn for the worst.

"A few days later, I went back to apologize for some of the things I said to him, things that were probably true but I still felt bad for nonetheless."

"What things?" Killian asked.

"I said something along the lines that he was a loser dropout who would never amount to anything and he was holding me back."

A few people nodded at that statement. Killian gestured for her to continue.

"But," She paused, once again swallowing, her eyebrows scrunching, "The apartment was empty, except for quite a bit of drugs hidden under the couch cushions. The older neighbor" – She took a deep breath – "The neighbor said it was his own fault. Chris was the one who got so high his judgment was impaired. He was the one who decided it would be smart to pick a fight with a gang."

Emma's breath caught. She knew where this was going and her heart was breaking for Addie once again.

"The neighbor said he heard the gunshot and saw them take the body away. No one admitted to knowing him so the police didn't even investigate his apartment."

Henry, who had been holding Addie's hand silently throughout her entire story, let go and pulled her into his arms, but she did not relax into him like she had before. She pulled away, clearly trying to contain her emotions. Emma noticed a few tears around the room and she wanted nothing more than to hold Addie close. Clearly this man was no good for her, but she knew the girl still cared for him. He was the first person in a long time to give her a shot, to be her friend, to make her feel something. No matter, how it ended, that will never go away. Emma would know. She felt her heart ache as she remembered Neal. Addie was more like her than she ever wanted her to be.

"I was so shocked and overwhelmed at finding out he was dead, I began to lose control again, just like I did at my grandfather's funeral." Addie continued, clearly fighting tears, "I had gotten so good at concealing all emotions and shielding them with adrenaline over the past couple years that I couldn't control it."

"What did you do?" Regina asked, tearfully.

"The only thing I thought I could do," Addie responded emotionlessly, "I took matters into my own hands. I went inside the apartment and took the rest of his drugs. I hoped that they would dull anything I was feeling."

"Oh, Addie," Snow cried.

"Did it work?" Killian asked.

"No." She stated firmly, "If anything, it made me feel everything heightened and I –,"

Addie froze and Emma could see the tears welling in her eyes. Knowing that Addie was such a strong person and had never cried in front of any of them before, these tears worried Emma.

"And you…" Prompted Regina.

"I went to get his gun, which I knew he kept under his mattress." – Addie gestured to the weapon that she kept at her hips when Emma allowed her – "I figured there was only one way to stop feeling this, to stop feeling anything at all."

Snow's hands covered her mouth as tears ran down her face. Emma could feel her own tears threatening to fall. Everyone else seemed completely shocked and upset that Addie would be driven to feeling that way. Henry looked faint, quiet tears already running down his face.

"You did not go through with it." Killian stated more than questioned. His voice sounded thick.

Addie shook her head, "I didn't get a chance to. I passed out in a cloud of purple smoke. That's when I showed up here, with no memories."

"So," Regina said tearfully, "If you had not shown up here, then you would have…" She trailed off; no one needed to ask what she meant.

**...OUAT...**

Henry felt like his heart was breaking in two. The girl he was in love with felt so hopeless, alone and out of control emotionally that she felt like the only way to make it better would be to die. He felt like his heart was being ripped from his chest at the thought of Addie killing herself. Addie showing up here in Storybrooke had always felt like an event that saved his life, but now he knew, it literally saved hers.

"Addie," Snow asked hesitantly, tears still running down her face, "You don't – I mean, do you still, you know, feel _that_ way?"

Everyone was holding their breaths, desperately awaiting her answer, and, at the same time, not really wanting to know.

Addie looked down at her hands, which were trembling. Her whole body was shaking. Henry's arms, which were still wrapped around her shoulders, could feel it.

"That's why I disappeared," she whispered, "I have been fighting the instinct to finish what I started all day and I didn't want any of you see me struggle with that."

"But that's exactly why you should have come to us!" Snow sobbed, "We're your family. We could have helped you through it."

"You helped me anyway." Addie replied. Henry could see her lips begin to tremble and her voice cracked. "I realized that, for the first time, I have a family that is willing to accept me for who I am when I'm actually letting myself feel and to hold me up when I can't do it myself. That's the reason I came back."

Addie let out a sob, and she turned away quickly, hiding her face from the crowd. Henry knew that she still wasn't used to showing emotion in front of anyone, and he doesn't think she has ever cried in front of anyone. She was clearly trying to hide her tears, though everyone knew they were there.

Henry took a step closer to her and turned her to face him and the rest of their family. The tears were running down her face and her eyes were swollen and red. She sniffled and seemed unable to catch her breath.

"Don't hide, you're beautiful." Henry whispered, using his thumb to wipe some of the tears off of her face, "Even when you're crying. You never have to be ashamed of being upset, not in front of me, not in front of any of us. You're one of the strongest people I know. We can get through this together. I love you, Addie, and I'm going to tell you that every single day for the rest of my life."

She let out another sob and he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her as tight as he could. He put everything into that hug, all his love, all his support, even a promise of a future. After a moment, she put her arms around his waist and clutched desperately at his shirt. Her grip was so tight, Henry thought she would never let go. She held him as if he were the only thing anchoring him to the world, and he let her.

* * *

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** Henry worries that Addie is pulling away, Emma, Snow and Regina take Addie out for a girls' day, and David and Killian worry about the next attack.

**Let me know what you think!**


	9. Impact

**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

* * *

**A/N:** This chapter is a bit shorter than I've been putting out lately, but it was necessary. Enjoy!

**Chapter Rating:** T

**Chapter Date: **December 2018 (Ages: Henry – 17.5, Addie - 17, Roland – 10.5, Neal – 5.5, Juliette – almost 4, Elizabeth – 3.5, Dani – 1, Liam - 1 month)

* * *

CHAPTER 9: IMPACT

About a week before Christmas, Henry found himself on the roof putting up last minute holiday lights with his stepfather. The brisk wind chilled his bones and, judging by the clouds, another snow storm was coming. Sighing deeply and taking a second to watch his breath form and evaporate in the cold air, Henry finished hooking the latest strand of lights to the gutter.

"Ready!" He yelled off of the roof to the ground where Robin was retrieving the final strand of lights.

"I'll only be a moment!" came the archer's response from below. "I want to check how Roland is doing with your sister!"

Henry sat back on his heels as he heard the back door open and looked at the evening sky. The horizon's collage of yellows, pinks and reds low in the sky was incredibly calming to his stressed mind.

It has been a couple weeks since the day of the battle, the day Addie regained her memories. He still found himself waking in the middle of the night with flashes of the moment he saw masked men converging on Addie, and then of her offering to give herself up. Often, Henry found himself shaken with the images of her succeeding in sacrificing herself, of seeing her body lifelessly lying on the ground at Zira's feet.

Things have not been quite right between the two of them since that day. Actually, if he's honest with himself, it hasn't been right since his brother's birth, the moment she found out about the prophecy and walked away from him in the hospital. After she told her story and broke down in his arms, Addie began speaking to him once again, but it was not the same as before. Henry fears that it will never be the same again. She seems emptier, more closed off since regaining her memories. Admittedly, it's understandable, but Henry is still hopelessly worried about her. Over the past couple weeks, she has acted as if she is fine, but he can see that it's all a show. She hides her pain behind sarcasm and false smiles. Addie is most definitely not doing well.

Over the past couple of weeks, they have spent as much time together as they always have, but they often find themselves enjoying a companionable silence rather than the easy conversation that has always flown between them. Both haunted by nightmares, him of that day and her of her past, Henry and Addie find themselves in each other's arms many nights once again. They eat most of their meals together and she meets him after school most days. Henry even managed to take her out to dinner, a date in his mind, the day after Thanksgiving to celebrate a year since she has arrived just as he mentioned all those weeks ago. He had a really good time. She put on a smile and a nice dress and her radiance nearly knocked the wind out of him; however, Henry could still see that sadness ingrained in her eyes behind the act.

That dinner was the most she talked to him in weeks and Henry felt a burst of satisfaction knowing that he helped her forget her troubles even for a few hours. The best part of that night, in his opinion, was when they returned back to Regina's house. It was one of the nights he was meant to stay at Emma's house but he decided to walk her home first.

_They stepped up on the porch and Addie turned to face him. The look in her eyes was as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders but was clearly grateful to him for helping her forget that for a few hours. While clearly comfortable in his presence, she seemed almost shy. Her hands smoothed down her already unwrinkled dress and he reached out and stilled them, brushing the soft blue fabric around her waist as he did. He looked deeply into her eyes._

_"Thank you for taking me out tonight." Addie said quickly. Henry knew she must have seen the depth of emotion behind his eyes and the fast talking was a reflex to ignore it. Though a little guilty for clearly frightening her, Henry will not regret how he feels. He loves her more than he has ever loved anyone, and yes, that scares him as well, but he does not want to run from his feelings._

_"Any time," He replies with a soft smile. "You know I love spending time with you. Especially when you look so beautiful."_

_She laughed lightly, "So now I know that all I need to do to get your attention is put on a dress."_

_"Of course not. All you have to do to get my attention is walk into a room and I'm all yours." Henry decided that the slight blush that rose on her cheeks was a good color on her and he was determined to make it happen again. "Though I won't say no to seeing you in this dress again."_

_Taking a tip out of Killian's book, Henry winked._

_Addie laughed again, shoving him lightly, before a flirty smile made its way onto her face and she winked back. "Well, maybe you'll get lucky sometime soon."_

_Henry swallowed at her obvious double meaning behind her eyes._

_They both fell silent, staring into each other's eyes. The flirting was easy and normal for them and, for a moment, Henry felt like nothing had changed; she was still the playful, amazing girl he fell in love with, who had no memories of her life's struggles. However, he knew that was not true. A lot had changed in such a short time but he was determined to make the best of it and find the moments, as his grandfather often says. Addie was worth everything. She was his future._

_Henry leaned forward slowly, placing his hands on her hips. He gave her a second to pull away if she wanted. When she didn't move, he closed the gap and pressed his lips to hers lightly. She responded immediately, hands moving up to wrap around his neck._

_Not wanting to push his luck, Henry began to pull away after a minute, but Addie seemed to have other ideas. She pulled him right back to her, one hand fisting in his hair to keep him close to her. Her tongue stroked his bottom lip and he gasped at the feeling. Overcome with desire, Henry wrapped his arms tighter around her waist and deepened the kiss. The feel of her, the smell of her, the taste of her all wrapped up in his arms at once was nearly overwhelming._

_After a few minutes, Addie pulled away, looking as breathless as he felt._

Henry smiled wistfully at the memory. They haven't kissed since that night even though they spend almost every day together. He was giving her space and he could tell she was thankful for it. Henry could see the love returned for him in her eyes every time he looked at her, however, she was clearly terrified of her feelings. Her fear combined with the haunting memories of her past were holding her back. As much as Henry understood that, he wished she would stop distancing herself from him.

"Thinking of Addie, I presume." Came a huffing voice from behind him. Too deep in his thoughts, Henry hadn't even heard Robin climb up the ladder and return to his side with the last strand of lights.

"That obvious?" He asked shyly, deciding it was best to not even bother denying his thoughts.

Robin gave him a knowing smile as he handed him the lights and a few more hooks for the roof. "Completely."

Henry didn't respond as he set to work. His family obviously knew that Addie was pulling away because she was pulling away from them as well. He could see the sadness in their eyes every time they looked at her. They wanted to help but just did not know how.

"Do you want to talk about it?" His stepdad asked. Henry could feel his eyes on the back of his head.

"I just don't know how to help her." Henry responded, "I know she is struggling with her memories right now but she is pulling away from me."

"She's pulling away from all of us, Henry." Robin sighed, "We all want to help her. I believe the best way to do that is to give her time. She needs time to reconcile who she is here in Storybrooke to who she was in her past. You, of all people, should understand that. She also needs time to grieve. Think about it, it feels as if her friend just died all over again."

"I know you're right. I just miss her."

Robin clapped Henry only the shoulder reassuringly as he continued to work on the lights.

**...OUAT...**

"Are you sure bringing her _here_ is really a good idea?" Snow asked as she stepped into The Rabbit Hole behind Emma.

"Well it's not like we're going to buy her a drink," Regina responded, "And she knows better than to try to get one on her own."

"You know I'm right here, right?" Addie asked sarcastically, following them through the door.

Emma snorted at the exchange, leading them over to a table in the corner.

Her mother brought up the idea of taking Addie out for a girl's night a few days ago. Emma agreed but she knew they had to think carefully about where they would take her. Granny's is the usual go-to place to eat in town but it was also too public. Snow was hinting at a day at the spa or shopping but Emma knew Addie would not appreciate either one. It was Regina that suggested The Rabbit Hole due to its quieter atmosphere. Though it's a bar, they do serve burgers and finger foods, which Addie could live on. Besides, as sheriff, she could turn a blind eye to a teenager in here if she wanted.

The bar itself was nearly empty, still a little bit early for the late night crowd. Emma figured they would eat dinner here and, when it started to get crowded, take Addie for a walk along the beach or something. After hearing about how her parents treated her as a child, they each wanted to take her out like any loving mother would do with her daughter. Since Addie has three mother figures, they figured a girl's night would be appropriate.

Their other motive was to get her to talk to them. Addie had been pulling away and it frustrated Emma, and everyone else, that they did not really know what was going on inside her head.

When the waitress arrived, the adults ordered their drinks and Addie a soda, before they fell into silence.

Emma could practically feel her mother itching to question the girl. By Addie's apprehensive look on her face, she clearly knew the inquisition was going to begin as well. However, no one seemed to want to be the first to break the silence. Addie looked between each of the women with an eyebrow raised in question. Emma had to stifle a snort at her expectant expression.

Finally, Snow couldn't take it anymore. "How are you, Addie? And don't give us 'fine' because we know you're not."

Addie sighed and looked down at her drink in her hands. "I'm getting by one day at a time."

"That's all you can do." Emma said sympathetically. She understood exactly what Addie meant. "Trust me when I say I know exactly what you're going through."

Addie looked into her eyes as if trying to read through them into her mind. Slowly, she nodded. As Emma hoped, the girl's knowledge of Emma's past seemed to make her more comfortable; knowing someone has gone through the same thing as you is always reassuring.

Emma could feel her mother's and Regina's eyes on her. Snow's filled with pain over the childhood she had and Regina's with a mixture of guilt and sympathy.

Ignoring their looks, Emma told Addie, "You know you don't need to pull away from us. I get it, I do. I do the same thing, but it doesn't make that healthy or helpful in any way. Just talk to us."

"I'm just," she paused, thinking carefully about her words, "trying to get over how I felt that night. I know I'm not alone anymore but I can't help but feel just as helpless and overwhelmed I did back then. It's hard because I feel like I just lost him all over again."

Snow reached over and grabbed her hand. "Oh, Addie, it's just going to take time."

"I know that." She replied, with a small smile, "but I've never been a patient person."

Emma and Snow chuckled at that, but Regina seemed to be thinking hard about something.

"There's something else, isn't there?" The mayor asked, "It's as if you are internally fighting with yourself."

Addie hesitated. "I guess I am. I'm fighting my natural instinct to push down all of my feelings and numb myself to them and to the world, just like my dad taught me. I know I should let myself feel because that's the only way to get over it but, in my experience, feeling things only makes everything worse."

"Sometimes feeling is the right thing to do, no matter how painful it may be," responded Emma, surprising herself as well as everyone else. "It took me a long time to learn that one, and I didn't figure it out on my own. My problem was my wall. I had to learn that it was okay to tear it down. It may have kept out my pain for a little while but it also kept out everything else, including love."

She smiled at her mother, whose eyes looked suspiciously wet.

"I agree," Regina added, "And we all had our true loves to help with that."

Addie looked away quickly, and Emma had to stifle a smile. She, of all people, knows exactly how terrifying it can be to find out you have a soul mate. Nevertheless, she also knew how liberating it could be, if only she allowed it to be. Noticing the smiles on the other women's faces, Emma knew they were just as thrilled as she was to have it confirmed that Addie was Henry's true love. They loved the girl as if she were family, and now they find out she is almost guaranteed to be officially someday. Addie just needed to overcome her fear of commitment and love.

"About that," Snow began slowly, "How are things going between you and Henry?"

Emma sighed to herself, exchanging a look with Regina. As much as both of the mothers wanted to know, Snow was only going to make Addie shut down by asking like that.

"Um," the girl replied, uncomfortably, "Look, I know what we are, what we're supposed to be, but I just can't think about that right now."

Snow looked slightly upset but Emma understood. She already had a lot to process and that may very well be the hardest thing to think about. Addie just needed time to come to terms with what she felt for Henry.

"How about you tell us something about yourself?" Regina interrupted, clearly sensing that Snow was about to continue her interrogation about love. "You told us your story, but tell us something else we don't know."

Addie looked at her gratefully. After thinking for a moment, she answered, "Well, the day before I remembered everything was my birthday."

Emma smiled, raising her glass, "Well, then happy belated birthday!"

Everyone clinked their glasses together and took a sip.

"So how old are you exactly?" asked Snow curiously.

Addie smirked at her expression, "I'm seventeen now."

"Then we were right in assuming you were Henry's age when you showed up." Regina chuckled.

"I know, I'm impressed." Addie responded, to which the women all laughed. Emma noticed Addie seemed almost back to her normal self now that the heavy stuff was over. She wasn't completely fine; it really would take time. However, for the moment, she seemed to be doing okay.

"Next question," Snow said seriously, "Favorite color?"

They all laughed, finally enjoying their girl's night out.

**...OUAT...**

David observed the disaster zone that was once his daughter's beautifully decorated living room.

"Bloody hell," Killian muttered, "Emma's going to kill us."

"What do you mean 'us'?" He replied, "It's _your_ house."

"Yes, but _your_ son made most of this mess."

"Fair enough." David glanced over to the sleeping form on the couch. Killian had just put his daughter to bed, the baby having been in bed for over an hour already, but David left his son passed out on the couch until he was ready to take him home.

David had decided that he and Neal should keep Killian and the kids company while both of their wives took Addie out for the night. He just hadn't counted on the children deciding that they were going to declare war on their fathers and destroy the room with their toys. He glanced around at the scattered toys and books on the carpet. There was two forts made out of pillows, bed sheets and kitchen chairs on opposite corners.

"I'm not even sure how all of this even happened." The former pirate was continuing to glance around in disbelief. "For example, I haven't the slightest clue how or when clothing got up there."

David glanced up at the ceiling fan that his son-in-law was gesturing towards. Sure enough, there was what looked like a pair of Neal's pants and several of Elizabeth's dresses on the fan's blades.

He chuckled at Killian's appalled expression. "Come on, let's clean this all up before Emma returns and magically glues us together again."

Both men shuddered at the memory.

"So," Killian broke the silence after a few minutes of cleaning. "How did Snow react to the news that Zira is recruiting for an even bigger attack."

"She wasn't exactly surprised, but she agrees with Emma's theory that this one will be more targeted."

Killian nodded. David knew he wasn't one hundred percent in agreement with his wife's theory. They had only received the anonymous tip yesterday that one of the cult members had been trying to recruit whomever had sent it to the station. The note said that the cult member had implied that they needed more force for their next plan. Emma believed that they were planning to target a specific building, just as they did with the convent, while Killian and David believed it would be another chaotic attack in the street. Either way, they were prepared.

"All I know for certain," Killian said, tossing a child's bow and plastic arrows into the toy chest in the corner, "is that we need to keep a very close eye on Addie."

"Agreed." Replied David earnestly. They knew it wouldn't be long before her and Henry heard about this; those two seemed to always know what was going on. However, they also knew that as soon as Addie found out, she would try to sacrifice herself again. She had tried it once and that was when she was in a better emotional place. In the state she has been in lately, they all feared she would try again.

David could feel something big coming; they all could.

* * *

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** The adults face another cult-related emergency while Henry and Addie take their relationship to the next level.

**A/N: So that was kind of an in-between, slower, lighter chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it!**


	10. Midnight Wanderings

**Review Replies:**

**Ajojojo**: I know it's a bit unbelievable, but I was trying to make a point that the one thing she had going for her, her intelligence, was taken away by that guy. I was also trying to explain why she never went to school. Also, by my calendar, Addie turned 16 the week before arriving in Storybrooke (In my head, her birthday is the same as mine: November 20th) which would make Henry actually 16.5 in the beginning. Thanks for your comment :)

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**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

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**A/N:** First week of school and I'm already using my writing to procrastinate…anyway, here it is!

**Chapter Rating:** M

**Chapter Date: **January 2019 (Ages: Henry – 17.5, Addie - 17, Roland – 10.5, Neal – 5.5, Juliette – 4, Elizabeth – almost 4, Dani – 1, Liam - 2 months, Peter - 2 weeks)

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CHAPTER 10: MIDNIGHT WANDERINGS

The first thing he notices is how uncomfortable it feels with his bedclothes sticking to his damp skin. Breathing heavily and wiping the sweat out of his eyes, Henry reflexively glances around his bedroom. The familiar green and white of the wallpaper is peaking out of the posters plastered in every corner and the moon is shining on the dark wood of his furniture.

He's most definitely not standing in the center of Storybrooke's war torn streets with Addie's dead body at his feet.

Henry has suffered through the same nightmare for almost two months now and it doesn't get any easier to handle. Every night, he visits that day when the streets turned to rubble and the sky turned to ash. He sees the men in masks attacking his family. He sees a few of them converge on Addie, nearly overpowering her, until his grandparents arrive to her aid. He sees Addie raise her hands and clear the dust. He _feels_ the invisible wall beneath his hands as his heart breaks in two watching her walk toward Zira. He sees the bomb go off and Addie get blasted off her feet.

He knows what the next part is supposed to be: his family and him rushing toward her and pulling her close. However, in his nightmares, Henry stands by behind that wall as she succeeds in standing back up and going through with her sacrifice. After she is dead, Zira places her body on the ground at his feet, just outside the force field where he cannot even hold her as he cries.

His clock shows that it is only a few minutes past midnight and he is not surprised. It feels as if he had only just laid down to sleep with Addie in his arms.

Addie.

He looked at the empty space next to him frantically.

She's gone.

Shoving the blankets off of his body and springing to his feet, Henry takes another quick look around. He doesn't know why her absence wasn't the first thing he noticed. The nightmare must have been more distracting than he thought. Addie was definitely in his arms when he fell asleep last night. He can still feel her body curled in front of him as he enveloped her with his arms from behind, one leg entangled between hers and one hand slipped under the soft fabric of her shirt making small circles with his thumb.

Maybe she went back to her own room, though Henry couldn't think of why she would. They had been sharing a bed almost every night, at least those that he stayed at Regina's, for months now and she has never been so uncomfortable that she has had to leave.

Tiptoeing across the hall and quietly opening her door, Henry holds his breath. He knows before he even sees that her room is empty. Henry makes his way back to his own room, trying to control the panic creeping up from the pit of his stomach. He is sure he would know if something had happened to her. Hell, he was right next to her the whole time and there is definitely no sign of a struggle. No, she left on her own, of that Henry is also sure. His only question is where could she have gone in the middle of the night?

Henry pulls off his pajamas and quickly pulls on jeans and a sweatshirt. It is only as he is tying his shoes that Henry notices something out of his window. There's a faint light in the clock tower. Of course, she went to their place. Henry lets out a sigh of relief at realizing where she went.

Now he just wants to know why.

Figuring there is only one way to find out, Henry quietly sneaks out of his room, down the stairs, and out of his house. Making his way in the direction of the library, he can only hope that he can calm her down from what is sure to be another horrible flashback of her past.

**...OUAT...**

Unable to control herself, a gasp escapes Emma as she curls one hand into her bed sheets and the other into Killian's hair. His light chuckle against her inner thigh only intensifies her pleasure when his breath tickles her sensitive skin.

Teasingly, Killian continues to kiss every inch of the skin on her thighs and stomach, purposely straying from the place she wanted him most.

"Killian!" She exclaims, her voice a mixture of growl and groan.

"All in good time, love." He smiled devilishly up at her, "Patience."

Emma was about to tell him where he could shove his patience when her phone began to ring on the bedside table.

There was a few precious moments where she actually considered moving to answer it. It could be Henry, after all. However, all thoughts of the phone were driven from her mind when Killian finally moved his lips to her core.

With a moan of pleasure, Emma threw her head back against her pillows and fisted Killian's hair in her hands, unintentionally tugging him closer. His tongue moved with expert motions, knowing exactly what she liked and needed. For a few mind-numbing minutes, the only sounds were coming from Killian's lips and Emma's gasps which were growing rapidly breathless.

Then Killian's phone rang.

"Damn it!" Emma yelled when he pulled away and glanced at the table. She was only vaguely aware that her shout was louder than it should have been with sleeping children in the house.

"It's your father." Killian muttered, looking as annoyed as she felt.

They both breathed a sigh of relief when his phone stopped ringing. However, before Killian could continue his ministrations, Emma's phone went off once more.

"This fucking town better be burning to the ground or there's going to be hell to pay." Emma sighed as she finally reached over and answered her phone.

"What's going on?" She asked her father, trying to make her voice sound more business-like and less having-great-sex-with-my-husband-like.

"You need to get down to the edge of town right away!" His desperate tone is what alerted Emma that something was in fact happening in her town. There was some kind of commotion on the other line; she could hear shouting and what sounded like a dull roar.

"Why? What the hell is going on?" Emma was already crawling out of bed and throwing open drawers in search of clothes. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Killian's concerned, yet still disappointed, expression as he slid out of bed after her.

"A fire! The cult set the damn forest on fire right near the 'Welcome to Storybrooke' sign!"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" She asked no one in particular. Emma froze. A fire? Seriously? She was only kidding about that! "Are you there right now? You should have waited for me!"

"I am. I was going to wait but I decided to get here as soon as I could. Not that I had much of a choice with Leroy banging on the door yelling about us all dying in flames." Came his exasperated sigh. She could barely make out his voice now due to the shouting on the other side.

"I'll be right there." Tossing her phone on the bed, Emma finished getting dressed. At Killian's questioning look, she asked him, "Remember what I was saying about the town burning to the ground?"

His eyes widened in concern, "Please tell me Storybrooke is not on fire."

"Oh, it's not." She pulled on her boots. "The forest is."

"What do you need me to do?" He asked quickly. Emma smiled at her husband. This is why she loved him so much; the freaking forest is on fire and his first instinct is her needs.

"I need you here."

Killian nodded. She knew by his look that he desperately wanted to come along to help and, most importantly, keep her from doing something stupid, but he would stay because that is what she asked of him. Besides, he knew their children couldn't be left alone.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." Emma kissed him quickly before walking toward the door with a slight smirk on her face. "Then we can finish what we started."

"I'll be waiting." He let his devilish smile return to his face before sobering, "Be careful, love."

**...OUAT...**

Regina glances at her clock. A little after midnight and she's still at her office. Curse-made town or not, the mayor has more paperwork than she even knew what to do with. Sighing, she began massaging her temples where she could sense a headache brewing.

She should have been home hours ago; she missed her family. A small smile escaped as she stared at the pictures lining the edge of her desk. There was one of her and Robin on their wedding day, just the two of them. Another one from that day showed her and Robin with Henry and Roland clinging to them where they had just rushed the photographer's set. Though it wasn't meant to happen, that picture was one of her favorites. Then there was Danielle's hospital photo followed by one of Henry and Roland holding their little sister that was taken only a few months ago. The next picture was also taken only a few months ago. It showed Henry sitting at her kitchen table telling some story to Dani with Addie behind him leaning on his shoulder, smiling easily with no memories of her past haunting her eyes. The three of them were blissfully unaware of the fact that they were on camera. The final picture in the line was one of her and Henry, taken years ago before the first curse even broke.

As if her thoughts were reaching him, Regina's phone suddenly began ringing, Robin's face lighting up on her screen.

"Hello Robin, I know I should have been home by –,"

"Regina, something's happened." The panic in his tone had her blood running cold.

"What's wrong?" She managed to gasp out, "Are the kids okay?"

"Yes, they're fine." Regina breathed a sigh of relief, the knot of anxiety in her stomach loosening slightly, "It's the cult. They set the forest on fire at the edge of town."

"What!" She exclaimed, jumping to her feet and reaching for her jacket.

"There has been no injuries reported, but David just called and asked me to aid in damage control. I was wondering what you wanted to do. I could wake the kids and bring them to Snow's or I could wait for you to arrive before leaving."

"Neither." Regina was already out the door. "I'll go."

"Regina, sweetheart, are you sure?"

"Of course, I'm sure. I assume the rest of the sheriff's department is going to be there anyway. One less deputy is not going to make much of a difference. This is _my_ town that someone is messing with."

Robin sighed on the other end of the line. "Just be careful."

"I'm always careful." She teased as she got into her car.

Her husband's quiet chuckle was enough to reassure her that this was the right decision. This would keep him safe, at least for tonight. Besides, their children needed him.

"Is everyone okay at home?" Regina asked before he could say anything else. He already said they were okay but she needed another confirmation.

"Yes. Roland and Dani have been asleep for hours and Henry and Addie headed to bed about an hour ago."

"And you? Are you okay?"

"Other than being worried about you, my darling," She smiled at his tone, "I'm quite content. Though this bed is empty without you."

She chuckled lightly, "Don't you worry; I'll be home soon enough."

"I love you."

"I love you, too." She responded as she finally noticed the flames.

Sighing deeply, Regina pulled over and stepped out into the blaze of chaos that was overtaking the edge of her town.

**...OUAT...**

He found her in the clock tower, just as he expected. The soft glow of the moon shining through the clock face was the only light besides the flames of her magical fire crackling on the other side of the room. He knew by the sudden falter in her pacing that she heard him arrive. Henry was many things, but he was not stealthy. Not that he was trying to stay quiet; his footsteps were an intentionally subtle way of making his presence known.

Addie looked like she was trying to halt a panic attack in its tracks. She was pacing back and forth, eyes closed, and breathing deeply. Henry felt the overwhelming need to comfort her, despite the fact that she was clearly ignoring his presence. He made his way over and stood in her path. As if she sensed him, Addie halted a few inches in front of him and opened her eyes slowly.

They were face to face, both clearly searching the other's eyes for some kind of answers. It was quiet. Neither moved, neither spoke, neither breathed. Suddenly, before Henry could even blink, she was grabbing the lapels of his jacket and pulling him forward, crushing her lips to his in a desperate kiss.

He reacted instinctively. One of his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her as close as possible while the other found its way into her hair. Henry angled his head downward, pressing his lips more firmly against hers, and Addie responded by tilting hers up, deepening the kiss. Their lips moved in sync and their tongues battled for dominance and Henry knew he was gone. The world could end at this moment and he knew he would die happy. There would never be anything, _anyone_ that felt better than Addie did pressed up against him like this. His body was on fire and so was hers.

Henry did not even realize he was moving backwards until his back hit the stone wall behind him. His mind was buzzing; he couldn't think clearly. There was so much heat radiating between them. He boldly slipped the hand around her waist underneath the hem of her shirt, reveling in the feel of the silky skin of her lower back. This action seemed to excite her even more because her hands suddenly moved to the hem of his shirt and pulled it up. He let go of her so that she could pull it over his head and the second it took to do so was far too long apart from her warmth. As soon as his hands resumed their positions, he suddenly felt every curve of her body as she pressed herself, if it was even possible, even more firmly against him.

He was aware of her hands starting to travel once again. One hand curled its fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck while the other slid down his chest, across his stomach and hooked a finger into the waistband of his jeans. Henry's back arched at the touch, his hips pressing into hers, and he knew she could clearly feel her effect on him. Addie intentionally pressed her hips even harder against his and rotated them slightly. Henry was sure he saw stars and he felt himself groan against her lips.

At the sound, Addie's hands dropped to the button on his jeans and made quick work of undoing it.

Henry froze, his mind snapping back into place.

He quickly reached down and stilled her hands. She took a step back and looked at him curiously as he refastened the button. Her face was flushed and her hair was a mess and Henry thought she had never looked so beautiful. It took a tremendous effort on his part to put some space between them.

"What's wrong?" she asked breathlessly. Henry had to stifle a groan at the sound of underlying desire in her voice.

"We can't," he shook his head and took a deep breath, trying to ignore how tight his pants felt, "As much as I would love this to continue, and I really, really do, we can't. I came here to talk to you."

"About what?" She sounded almost frustrated.

"About us. About whatever is on your mind. About the fact that you are clearly troubled enough to be pacing alone in a clock tower in the middle of the night, and you won't talk to me about it. You're distancing yourself from me emotionally and, yes, I can understand why, but you don't need to. I'm your best friend. We have both told each other things that we wouldn't tell anyone else. Don't shut me out now. I'm here for you. Always."

The look she gave him was a mixture of defiance and shame, and it nearly broke his heart. Henry reached for her hands and found them trembling.

"I just want to know where we stand," he continued, "You have been avoiding the topic of our True Love's –,"

"Don't." she interrupted him, pulling her hands away. "I can't even think about that right now."

"Addie –,"

She cut him off by walking over and pressing her lips to his once again. Henry had to force himself to gently break the kiss.

However, before he could say anything, she boldly reached down and cupped him through his jeans. Henry groaned involuntarily and looked into her eyes to find them dark with the desire that he was sure mirrored his own.

Silently cursing himself, Henry pulled her hand away.

"Henry," Addie whimpered, looking close to tears, "Look, I know what you want to hear, but I can't give it to you. I remember who I am. I remember who I loved. And I remember who I lost. That's all I can handle right now. My mind is all over the place, so the last thing I need is to add any more emotions to those already swirling around in my head. I am overthinking too much already. I can't handle feeling anything else emotional because I will just lose control."

Stunned at her outburst, Henry didn't move as she walked back over to him and placed her hands on his bare chest again.

"What I can handle," she continued, her voice lowering seductively, "What I want to feel, is you. I can handle the physical. Please, Henry. I don't want to think, I just want to feel."

Her hands were moving again, sliding back down to the waistband on his jeans. Henry swallowed. Suddenly she was kissing him again and, at her whispered, "I want you," against his lips, Henry knew he was a goner.

This time when she unbuttoned his jeans, Henry let her slide them down his legs. He stepped out of his pants and reached for the hem of Addie's shirt, pulling it over her head. She stepped back from him, kicking off her boots and pulling off her own jeans. Standing before him in just her underwear, Addie smiled, looking relieved that he wasn't fighting her. Not that she should be surprised at his surrender; he loved her and she was standing half-naked in front of him.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him down to the carpet. Pushing him onto his back, Addie straddled him and leaned down to resume kissing him as passionately as before. He moved his hands up and down her stomach, stopping just below the line of her bra.

Pulling her lips from his, Addie sat back on her heals and, with a shy smile and a raise of an eyebrow, reached behind her and unhooked the bra and tossed it aside. Henry was sure his mouth had dropped open. She was breathtaking.

Addie resumed kissing him and Henry's hands resumed his ministrations. Boldly, he slid his hands up and cupped her breasts, resulting in Addie biting his lip, not quite stifling a small moan. At the sound, Henry felt a rush of heat go south. If he thought she couldn't turn him on anymore, he was wrong. Addie didn't seem to be faring much better if the heat he could feel through her damp panties was any indication.

Overcome with desire, Henry flipped her over onto her back and hovered over top. He took a second to simply admire her body until she was impatiently tugging his lips down to hers. Without breaking the kiss, Addie reached down and pulled his boxer briefs down to his thighs with her hands and used her feet to grab them and kick them the rest of the way off before curling a hand around his throbbing member. Henry groaned into her neck before placing soft, open-mouthed kisses on her shoulder.

Henry found himself being flipped onto his back once more. Addie suddenly stood up off of him and Henry groaned in protest until he noticed she had removed her panties before crawling back on top of him. She reached down and lined him up with her.

The realization of what was about to happen had Henry catching his breath.

"I love you." He whispered, looking into her eyes. Henry could see the love returned but she said nothing. Instead, she brought her lips down to his and pushed down with her hips.

Henry groaned. She felt better than he ever imagined. Then she was moving on top of him and he was thrusting his hips up, trying to match her rhythm. He knew it was sloppy and he really didn't know what he was doing, but he didn't care.

With one hand on her hip, Henry moved his other one to reach where they were joined. He touched her and could feel her gasp against his lips.

Addie looked into his eyes, and Henry whispered, "Show me how."

Removing one of her hands from his chest, Addie reached down and joined her hand with his.

"Like this."

And then their hands were moving in a rhythmic motion. Henry could tell the exact moment that she led his hand to the right spot, and the look of pure pleasure on her face almost pushed him over the edge right there.

The only indication of how close she was to finishing was her breathing growing more rapid by the second. Her hand in his began to move faster and she moved up and down harder causing him to thrust into her deeper. Henry knew he wouldn't last another minute.

Suddenly, she was gasping out his name. The ecstasy in her voice along with the tightening of her muscles around him finally pushed him over the edge. Henry moaned out her name as she collapsed against his chest. He could feel her heart beating against his chest and her breaths were quick.

Henry brushed a piece of hair behind her ear and kissed her sweaty brow. She lifted her head off of his chest and kissed him.

"That was amazing." He stated in a daze as soon as he could catch his breath.

Addie chuckled, "Agreed. Was that your first time?"

Henry nodded, suddenly shy. He didn't need to ask her the same; he already knew that answer from her story of her past. Insecurity washed over him. Did he really make her feel how she made him feel? Had she been with men who were much better? Was he the worst? Was it over too quick? He knew he did not last as long as he would have liked but it was his first time.

"You aren't just saying it was good to make me feel better, right?" he asked, "Because you can tell me. I know I didn't really know what I was –," she cut him off with another kiss.

"Relax. You were great," she whispered earnestly, "Really. You're a quick learner."

Henry smirked, relieved, "Well I do have a pretty impressive teacher."

"You're such a dork." Addie giggled before kissing him again.

Henry knew there was still a lot to be worked out between them, but he couldn't find it in himself to worry right now. He had just made love to the woman of his dreams, his soul mate, and, despite her adamantly denying wanting to feel anything emotional, she was currently curled into his side just as a lover would. He could hold off on labels for right now, even if they are True Loves. All he needs is Addie.

**...OUAT...**

"You're telling me there was absolutely no one around that could possibly have been injured by this fire? No one at all?" Regina asked, incredulously.

"You say that as if you're disappointed by that fact." Emma responded, raising an eyebrow in the mayor's direction.

"Not disappointed," She insisted with a glare, "Only surprised."

"I am too." David added, "For the last two attacks, the cult made sure to hit populated areas."

Emma sighed, turning away and watching the remaining firefighters packing up their equipment. The now-white smoke drifted off into the dark night sky and the ground was littered with ash. Burnt leaf smell stung her nose.

Her father was right. In actuality, the fire was not that big nor out of control; Leroy blew it way out of proportion. The firefighters managed to diminish the flames within a half hour of arriving. It was also almost too good to be true that there was no one around to be taken as collateral damage. This confused the sheriff to no end. The purpose of the last two attacks wasn't even mainly to harm anyone; that was just a bonus for choosing populated areas. The first attack, the one on the convent, was a warning. Next, the more chaotic one in the street, was a cover so that they could attempt to kidnap Addie. Still, the cult seemed to enjoy harming people in the process.

Suddenly, it all clicked into place.

Emma whipped back around to Regina and her father, her eyes wide.

"What is it?" David asked urgently, sensing her panic.

"There was no one around because they didn't want anyone hurt. This wasn't an attack; it was a distraction."

Regina looked slightly confused before her eyes widened in fear. She only needed to mutter one word before the three of them were scrambling for their cars.

"Addie."

**...OUAT...**

Throwing open the door to her house, Regina rushed through, not caring who she awoke in the process. She could feel Emma and David right at her heels. The second they realized the fire was a distraction to kidnap Addie, they sped to her home. There was a certain irony at having the sheriff speeding by her side, breaking her own speed limits.

Running through the foyer and up the steps in a blind scramble to reach Addie, Regina didn't notice the body at the top landing until she tripped over him.

"Robin!" She screamed when she recognized the feel of him under her. Shaking him frantically, she could feel the tears welling in her eyes. David knelt by her side as Emma ran ahead to the bedrooms.

"He's alive." The deputy muttered, feeling for the pulse on his neck, "Just unconscious."

Regina breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to take in the scene around her. Her husband's quiver was on his back and his bow was a few feet from him as if it had flown from his hand when he was knocked out. There were no arrows sticking out of her walls but she wasn't surprised; he didn't miss. If Robin had shot at someone, they were in pain right now.

From the light moan, Robin was already beginning to come around. Regina was about to say something sarcastic about how he even finds trouble at home when she heard a shout from down the hall.

Emma came rushing out toward her and David, a look of fear on her pale features. Regina was relieved to see Roland trailing behind her tearfully, baby Dani in his arms.

"They're gone!" Emma shouted desperately, causing her and David to jump to their feet in alarm. "Henry and Addie are both gone!"

**...OUAT...**

Henry slipped quietly through the shadows outside his house, making his way to the back door, Addie trailing behind him.

His mind was preoccupied and he knew hers was as well. They were both lost in their thoughts about what had just happened between them. He wanted more; he was ready to be with her forever. Not that he was complaining about what did happen. The sex was good and he was a teenage boy, after all. However, he knew she wasn't ready for anything more than that. She wasn't always in a good place lately and that fact broke his heart. He truly did love this girl.

If Henry had been more aware of his surroundings, he would have realized that every light in his house was on at the moment. They decided to enter through the back to avoid detection; however, that seemed unnecessary at this point. The second he opened the door, the thunder of feet running across the room startled him back to reality.

"Oh thank God!" He heard Emma yell before two sets of arms were suddenly pulling him and Addie both into a tight embrace.

"What's going on?" Addie asked when his mothers had pulled away. Henry could see his grandfather behind them, the relief evident on his face. His stepfather was sitting at the kitchen table, holding an icepack to the back of his head. On the table in front of the two men, looked to be a map of Storybrooke. Adding his mothers' reactions into the equation, Henry realized they were organizing a search party for him and Addie. He swallowed his guilt as he turned his attention to Addie's question.

Exchanging only a quick glance, Regina obviously decided they should know, "The cult set a fire at the edge of town. It was a distraction so that they could come for you again" – Regina looked at Addie with a mixture of fear and relief, to which the girl responded with an expression of utmost guilt – "and we thought they had succeeded when we found your rooms empty and Robin unconscious."

"Are you okay?" Henry asked Robin quickly at the mention of his stepfather's injury.

"I'm fine, Henry," He smiled softly, "It was you and Addie whom we were worried about."

"Yes we were. Where were you?" Emma asked sternly.

Henry glanced at Addie, unsure of what to say. She quickly answered for him. "I had a nightmare and couldn't go back to sleep so I asked Henry to take a walk with me to clear my head. I'm really sorry we scared you. And I'm so sorry you got hurt because of me, Robin."

Robin waved off her apology as Henry nodded quickly at both of his mothers glances at him for confirmation. Both of their eye's softened, knowing how much the girl was still struggling with her past.

Regina sighed, with a glance around the room. "Next time, please let us know where you are going. We were worried sick."

"We will." Henry insisted earnestly.

Emma blew a puff of air out of her cheeks. "Well I think that's enough excitement for one night. No more midnight wanderings without telling anyone, you two. Now I think it's time we all get to bed."

As Henry made his way back up the stairs, Addie on his heels, he couldn't help but think of all that had transpired that night. She smiled as she made her way into her own room. There would be no more bed-sharing tonight; his mother is sure to be on the watch. He longingly watched her go with a sad smile. Making love to her was an amazing experience and he most definitely would not wish it away; however, he wanted more. He wanted her to admit her love for him in return and be his forever. With a sigh, Henry accepted that that future was a long way away.

* * *

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** The sheriff's station learns a bit more about Avery's past and Addie continues to avoid all conversation about her True Love's Kiss.

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	11. Unsurprising Visits

**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

* * *

**Chapter Rating:** M

**Chapter Date: **February 2019 (Ages: Henry – almost 18, Addie - 17, Roland – 10.5, Neal – 5.5, Juliette – 4, Elizabeth – 4, Dani – 1, Liam - 3 months, Peter - 6 weeks)

* * *

CHAPTER 11: UNSURPRISING VISITS

The sheriff's station was eerily quiet as the two men walked through the door with lunch for the entire department. Emma had sent two of her deputies to fetch the four of them some food from Granny's when she noticed they had been working all morning straight. Only grumbling slightly about favoritism as Emma and her husband stayed behind, the two men had gladly taken the offered break.

David glanced at Robin before calling out, "Hello! You two still here?"

"I think the better question would be 'are you presentable?'" Robin joked, holding open the door for David, who had the majority of the food bags. "I sure don't want to walk in on the two of them again."

"I really didn't need to hear that." David winced.

"In here, mate!" a voice called out from the Sheriff's private office. David was surprised to find Belle in the office with Killian when he and Robin entered the small room. They were leaning over Emma's desk which was laden with books that obviously belonged to the librarian.

"Hello, Belle." He greeted with a smile, turning questioningly to his son-in-law. "Where's Emma?"

"Lunch with your wife." Killian replied, "You must have just missed them at Granny's. The Lady Belle, here, arrived just as you left with some new information and Emma decided to discuss the knowledge with her mother while I shared it with the two of you."

Turning curiously to Belle, David asked, "What kind of information?"

"Well," She started, handing him what looked like a book of Enchanted Forest history. "I found the tale of Zira and Avery's backstory."

David's eyes widened as he exchanged a look with Robin. Ever since they had found Avery's body on the edge of the forest, they had been asking around for any information that anyone may have pertaining to Zira, or The Destroyer. Killing her son had only proved Zira to be more dangerous than they had thought. Emma hoped that gathering intel might help them find a weakness and, therefore, help them defeat her. Unfortunately, the story was not one in Henry's book and, until now, they had had no one come forward with any information.

"Anything useful?" Robin asked.

Belle exchanged a look with Killian, who replied, "We're not quite sure yet. According to the tale, there is a girl who may have been able to help with Avery due to the fact that they were involved romantically at one point. She's young, possibly still in school, which is where your wife comes in." – He nodded at David – "Emma wants to question her as soon as possible."

"Good thinking." David nodded, turning to Belle. "Can you tell us the story?"

"Of course," She smiled, taking the book back from him, "The tale starts with two brothers: Mufasa and Scar."

"Whoa, wait." David interrupted incredulously, "Mufasa and Scar? As in _The_ _Lion King_?"

"I'm sorry," Belle responded, "I'm not sure what you are talking about."

David shook his head as Killian chuckled at Robin's equally confused expression. He didn't know what his friend was laughing at; if it weren't for Henry making his younger sister watch every Disney movie ever made, the pirate wouldn't know either. Robin would get it eventually, but Dani was still too young at this point.

"The brothers, and by extension their families, are not actually lions," Killian clarified, "That is merely another of this world's preposterously skewed interpretations of other worlds. It's best if you hear the true version of events."

"Scar?" Robin asked skeptically, when David had gestured for Belle to continue.

"Well, I'm sure that's not his real name," Belle replied with a chuckle, "but there's no record of what it may be. He was called 'Scar' due to the scar he had across his eye."

"His left eye?" David asked quickly, "The same kind of scar that Avery had? The same scar that all of the victims had?"

"Yes. I believe that the victims were scarred in that particular way as an honor to him."

David whistled exasperatingly, once again motioning for the librarian to continue.

"Anyway, Mufasa was the king of their land and Scar, the younger brother, resented him for it." She continued, "Eventually, Scar's jealousy got the best of him, and he killed his brother in cold blood, right in front of Mufasa's young son, Simba."

David exchanged a look of horror with Robin.

"Simba was the only one who knew the truth; Scar managed to convince the entire kingdom, even the queen, that his death was an accident. Overcome with grief and anger, Simba ran away. As per the law of the kingdom, if the king is missing for more than a year, he forfeits the thrown to the next in line permanently. While the young king was away, Scar managed to take over in his place; however, within only days of the deadline, Simba returned."

"I'm sure that went over well." Robin said sarcastically.

"As well as expected," Belle answered, "They dueled in front of the entire kingdom. Though he was only about fifteen years old at the time, Simba managed to defeat his uncle and reclaim his thrown. The entire kingdom rejoiced because Scar was a tyrant while Simba was as fair and just as his father."

"As nice as the ending of that story is, what does this have to do with Zira?" David asked.

Belle only shook her head. "The story is far from over. You see, Zira had been Scar's forbidden lover."

David's eyes widened as it finally dawned on him where this was going. "Avery was Scar's son."

"Yes." Belle confirmed. "Zira had been married to a poor man from the village with whom she had two other children. He did not know that her third child was not his until the boy was born and he realized the child looked nothing like him. In his anger, he left his wife and children to never be heard from again. Kovu's siblings blamed him for the disappearance of their father and abused him. Scar's death drove Zira to insanity, causing her magic to become uncontrollable and to harm her children often."

"Wow." David sighed, "I mean, I knew he had to have had a rough childhood, but that just sucks."

The other men nodded in agreement as Belle continued, "King Simba knew about the child; Zira brought Kovu before him, claiming that, as Scar's son, he should be the rightful heir to the throne. However, Simba refused to acknowledge the boy's royalty since he was Scar's _illegitimate_ son. This led to Zira plotting to kill Simba so that her son could become king."

"Of course." Killian rolled his eyes.

"Meanwhile, Kovu still grew up a kindhearted child. The other villagers always talked about his kindness despite his horrible home life. This could be contributed to the fact that when he was eight years old, he met a girl at the market. She was younger than him; only four, but they became fast friends. She had snuck away from her parents just as he did his mother. For years they would meet up and play games and share secrets. It was only years later that he discovered she was actually the princess, Simba's daughter, Kiara."

David shook his head in disbelief.

"As they grew older, they fell in love. Neither cared about her royalty. Several months before the dark curse that brought us all to this world was cast, King Simba found out about his daughter's love. He forbid her from ever leaving the castle again and, for once, Zira agreed with him. To punish Kovu, she cut him across his eye so that everyone would know who his father truly was. She kept a closer eye on her son then, training him in her evil ways. This is when the villagers started to see a dark streak in the young man who was once a kind boy. Without Kiara, Kovu began to give in to his darkness."

"So you think if we had found this Kiara before everything happened, Avery may have been on our side the entire time?" Robin asked Belle.

She nodded, "Yes, I do. I know now that it is too late, but maybe she can still help. Or if not Kiara, then her father. I'm sure Simba would be more than willing to help us defeat Zira."

"I agree." David said, looking around the room. "I think it's time we found out if Simba and his family are in Storybrooke."

**…OUAT…**

Taking a deep breath, Addie inhaled the familiar combination of antiseptic and plastic that was strangely comforting. Though she had only ever been in Storybrooke General Hospital once before, it had the same smell as all hospitals did.

Addie had spent some time in hospitals in her past, both out of necessity and curiosity. Having landed herself in many emergency rooms over her time doing stupidly dangerous stunts, she knew how they worked from a patient standpoint. However, she also knew how they worked from a medical personal standpoint due to her time spent shadowing doctors when she was young. While she had been working for her GED, Addie had managed to convince several local doctors to allow someone even as young as she had been to shadow them throughout their days.

Now that she knew that she was The Healer, Addie decided that she needed more experience.

This is why she found herself walking down to the basement of the hospital where she knew Dr. Whale's office resided. She figured with him as the Chief Surgeon, as well as a family friend, she had a good chance of an internship of some kind.

Lights flickered overhead and water dripped slowly from a broken pipe at the end of the hall. Addie shook her head in disgust as she saw a spider make its way across the ceiling. As eerie as this basement was, it matched Dr. Frankenstein's personality perfectly.

Knocking lightly on the door, Addie took another breath to fight down the butterflies in her stomach. She always got nervous when asking for anything.

"Come in." Came the muffled reply from inside the room.

The door creaked as Addie pushed it open and stepped inside the dimly lit office. Victor Whale sat at his desk, half a sandwich in his hand and a look of surprise on his face at the sight of her.

"Addie? What can I help you with?" He gestured to the seat in front of his desk, getting straight to the point.

"I would like it if I could begin apprenticing under you." She replied, equally as blunt. Victor could be a nice guy and, after starting his relationship with Ruby, became part of the extended family, but it was still uncomfortable to talk to him at times.

He smirked at her, "I was wondering when you would be asking that."

"What?" Addie asked curiously. She had been so sure her presence had surprised him.

"You're The Healer." Whale responded simply. "I was there when you told your story and Ruby told me of your interest in the medical field. Honestly, I was going to offer you a job if you did not come to me soon."

Addie's eyes widened. "A job? I was only hoping for you to let me shadow or something."

He chuckled. "Well that's no fun, is it?"

Smirking, Addie responded, "No, not at all. What would I get to do?"

"Well," He sighed with a small smile, "I want to train you to become a surgeon, like me. We'll start slow and work your way up to operating by my side. I know this may seem untraditional, but we live in an untraditional town. In this world you need to have a degree from a medical school and years of residency, but in mine, training was much more informal. Your degree didn't make you a doctor; the confirmation from your mentor that your training was complete did. I know you'll make a great doctor and I want to mentor you. I've heard what you can do with your magic, now let's see what you can do with your hands and brain. What do you say?"

Addie could not help the grin that spread across her face as he spoke. This was so much more than she was hoping for; this was everything she could only dream of.

"I say I accept your offer."

With a curious look, Whale stood up and walked to a closet in the corner, removing a white coat from a hanger.

Tossing it to her, he said, "Excellent. Let's get started."

**…OUAT…**

Henry had just been unwrapping his peanut butter and jelly sandwich at a picnic table behind Storybrooke High when he got the call from his mother.

"What's wrong?" was his immediate response when he saw the name "Mom Emma" pop up on the screen.

"Whoa, kid, chill," his mother chuckled, "There's nothing wrong. I just wanted to ask you something."

"Are you sure?" He replied, walking away from his eavesdropping friends to avoid their curious looks, "Because you never call me at school."

"Positive. This just couldn't wait. Is there anything about _Simba_ in your book?" He could hear the cringe in her voice as she said the name.

"Simba?" Henry asked, blinking wildly in shock. He had not been expecting that. "As in The Lion King? That's real too?"

"Are you actually asking _me_ if something's real?" Emma replied sarcastically, "Isn't doubting fairy tales supposed to be my job?"

Henry laughed. "I guess so. But, seriously, lions?"

"They're not really lions." His mother explained, "That's just how this world screwed up the story. But think about it. What was Avery's real name? And what is his mother's name?"

Suddenly, it dawned on Henry who they were dealing with. "Kovu and Zira. That's right! Why didn't I think of that?"

"Who knows, kid?" Emma responded, "What matters is finding Simba, whoever he is here in Storybrooke, and talking to him about Zira. And I know he has two kids in the story: Kiara and Kopa. They're supposed to be school age and I was hoping you would know who they are here so that you could ask them a few questions for me."

"Of course," said Henry firmly, "I just need to figure out…"

Henry trailed off as his gaze zeroed in on two kids eating their lunch quietly underneath a tree. Clearly they were siblings; both had the same dark eyes, thick brown hair and sharp facial features. The older of the two, the girl, stared at the ground as she slowly peeled an orange, clearly deep in thought. Her younger brother seemed uncomfortable with their solitude as he stared longingly at a group of boys his own age at a table close to Henry's.

He had seen them around school before of course, though he had never given them much thought. Henry was pretty sure the girl's name was Kali, and she was in the same grade as Ava and Nick. He had seen her running a few times with the girls cross country team and, from what he remembered, she was usually so full of life, completely opposite of her somber self at the moment. However, the boy was new this year, only a freshman. Henry didn't know much about him except that he was usually surrounded by a group of friends who always seemed to be challenging each other to simple, innocent dares to make people laugh.

"Henry?" His mother's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, "Everything okay, kid?"

"Yeah," He nodded though he knew she couldn't see him, "I think I know who they are."

"Good." Emma sighed, "Do you think you could talk to them for me?"

"I'm on it. I'll meet you at the station after school with a full report."

His mother chuckled. "Sounds good. I'll see you later."

Henry hung up quickly and went to grab his backpack and lunch from his table.

"What was that about?" asked Ava, giving him an expectant look. Nicholas and Paige both looked at him curiously as well.

"My mom wants me to talk to some people for her." Henry answered with a smirk, "She actually needs my help on a police investigation."

Nicholas snorted as his sister gestured for him to elaborate.

"I'm going to eat lunch with those two," He said with a nod over his shoulder at this siblings. "They could have some much needed answers."

Without waiting for a response or, most likely, more questions from his friends, Henry took off in the direction of the tree. The boy looked up curiously as he approached while his sister glared cautiously.

"Hi," Henry said to them with a smile, "Mind if I sit with you?"

The boy smiled at him and nodded. Henry got the impression that the solitude was his sister's idea, not his. He sat down cross-legged so that he was facing both siblings who were shoulder to shoulder with their backs to the tree.

"I'm Henry." He said, directing the conversation at the boy seeing as he seemed to be more receptive than his sister.

"Nice to meet you." He replied, his voice kind and his eyes bright. "I'm Hari."

Henry glanced at the sister, waiting for her to introduce herself. She continued to glare for a moment longer before her brother elbowed her gently in the side and she sighed.

"I know who you are." She looked at him curiously, lacking the previous animosity, "My name's Kali. And by the fact that you are suddenly talking to us, I'm guessing you know who we are already, and want to talk to us about _him_."

Smirking slightly at her attitude, Henry replied, "It's nice to meet you two. You're right about why I'm here. Do you mind if I ask you guys a couple questions?"

"I haven't talked to him since before the curse." Kali told him quickly, "So whatever you want to ask, go ahead, but I can't really help you. I don't know why you need my help anyway; he's dead."

Hari put his hand on his sister's shoulder comfortingly. The girl looked completely torn up about Avery's death. Henry got the feeling that she was a usually lively, energetic girl, but seemed completely lost after losing him.

"I'm sorry about Avery," Henry gave her a sympathetic look, "Well, Kovu, since that's who you knew him as. My questions are really about his mother, though."

"She's crazy." Came Kali's simple reply, with an underlying bitterness in her voice.

Henry chuckled softly, "Yeah that much is obvious. I mean, do you know anything that could help us stop her? Does she have any weaknesses?"

"Scar was her weakness." Kali answered as her brother nodded by her side, "After his death, she completely lost it. I only met her a few times, and from what I remember, she was prone to spastic anger. Especially if someone mentioned Scar. When she got angry, she lost control of her magic and she always wound up hurting someone, usually Kovu. However, sometimes when she was especially angry, she wound up losing control and hurting herself."

"So what you are saying," Henry thought carefully, "is if we got her riled up enough, she might end up hurting herself, which would afford us the opportunity to move in and get her."

Kali nodded, "Basically. I wouldn't recommend it though; when she loses control, she is extremely dangerous."

"I laugh in the face of danger." He replied, stifling a smile. Henry was hoping at least one of them would get the reference. At their blank looks, he presumed they didn't. Internally chuckling at his slight disappointment, Henry stood up and began grabbing his things as the end of lunch bell echoed across the yard, "Thank you for your help."

Both siblings nodded in acknowledgement.

Just as he was about to walk away, Henry looked once more over his shoulder and said, "I really am sorry for your loss. In the end, he did help us though. You really did make a difference in his life, even if you didn't get your happy ending."

He thought he saw a small smile grace her face as gave one last wave to Hari and began walking toward the building.

**...OUAT…**

Chuckling slightly at her son's enthusiasm, Emma hung up her phone and walked back to the booth where her mother was waiting.

"Does he have any idea who they could be?"

"He says he does," Emma responded, "Let's just hope he can get some information out of them."

Snow nodded in agreement. Both women were silent for a moment, equally preoccupied with their thoughts. The second Belle had told Emma about Simba's children, she had immediately sought out her mother for information. However, Snow told her that since they would be high school age by now, Henry was probably the best bet.

"Have you seen Addie today?" Snow asked, breaking Emma from her thoughts.

"No," she replied, shaking her head, "And I don't know if that's a good thing or not."

"Why is that?" her mother asked curiously.

"Because I had to threaten to arrest her two days ago."

"Again?" Snow shook her head exasperatingly, "What did she do this time?"

Emma sighed, "She stole another car. I was on patrol when I saw one speeding down the road and when I pulled it over, I realized it was Addie behind the wheel. That's the third time I've almost had to ticket her for speeding and driving without a license."

Snow closed her eyes. Emma knew exactly what was going through her mind. She too was worried that Addie was going to get herself killed with this recent behavior. They were all worried for her safety, as well as her health. Ever since regaining her memories, Addie has grown paler and gaunter every day. By the hollowness in the girl's cheeks and the dark rings under her eyes, it was obvious she wasn't eating or sleeping either. She had even been sick a few days ago. Not to mention the fact that Addie has seemingly picked up where she left off in the dangerous and downright stupid stunts part of her life.

Emma and Regina have discussed punishing her like they would any of their children; however, Emma knew the situation needed to be handled delicately. If they punished Addie, she was likely to just run from them. No, they needed to talk to her first.

"Maybe we should ask Henry to talk to her." Snow mused out loud.

Emma shook her head, "I think Henry is part of the reason that she has been acting like this. She's completely overwhelmed with her memories, of course, but she's also stressed over what to do about him. She's terrified to accept the fact that he is her True Love because she doesn't want to feel the pain that she's feeling from all the losses in her past if something goes wrong."

"But they're True Loves," Snow stated confidently, "He's not going to hurt her."

"We know that and Henry knows that but Addie hasn't realized it yet." Emma explained, "I should know. It's how I felt too."

Snow smiled sadly at her daughter. After Emma shared True Love's Kiss with Killian to save him from an icy grave, she had given into instinct and ran. It was only when Killian found her later that day and explained that, even though they both knew what it meant, he would still stay away if she wanted him to. That's when Emma finally realized that she didn't want him to stay away; that's when she realized she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.

"Addie just needs to accept how much she truly loves Henry and realize that they belong together."

**…OUAT…**

The warm spray of the shower eases Henry's aching bones. With a sigh, he allowed himself to relax as he poured shampoo in his hand and began massaging his scalp. Last period gym had ended an hour ago but Henry had decided to stay a bit longer to get in some extra sword fighting with the practice dummies. He figured that with danger lurking once again in his town, a little more training couldn't hurt.

He was just picking up the soap when he heard something behind him. Automatically alert, Henry was about to reach behind him and shut off the water when the shower curtain opened. Expecting an attacker, he spun around quickly, moving one hand up to fighting position while instinctively reaching down to cover his naked body with the other.

Henry sure as hell wasn't expecting Addie to be standing there.

In the boy's locker room.

In the shower stall.

Completely naked.

Feeling his jaw drop and his body react to the sight, Henry dropped his fist and stared at her in awe. Though he has seen her naked multiple times in the past few weeks, he is still blown away at her beauty every time. Here she was, standing confidently in front of him in all her glory and, oddly enough, dripping wet hair. Ignoring that last part, Henry sighed longingly. What did he do to deserve her?

"Addie!" He exclaimed when he found his voice, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Looking for you." She responded simply, as she stepped into the shower with him and closed the curtain behind her.

Henry felt a rush of heat run south as she took a step closer to him. He was sure she knew exactly what she was doing to him. With a sultry smile, she stepped under the spray with him and ran a single finger down his dripping chest. That was all it took for him to groan wildly and pull her flush up against him.

She giggled slightly as she pulled his face down to hers. Their lips met in a desperate kiss. Her hands automatically reached up and tangled themselves in his wet hair and he groped at her back before he allowed his hands to roam lower.

Long gone were the days that he felt even remotely insecure in her presence. They had made love enough times over the past few weeks that he gained confidence in his body and his abilities. He was quite proud of the fact that it didn't take long for him to memorize her body to the point that he could make her finish without her assistance anymore.

Henry found that she was insatiable. Whenever she was in the mood, all she had to do was give him _that_ look and drag him somewhere private and he was ready. They had done it in so many places that he would never be able to look at them the same way ever again, including his mother's bug and Granny's bathroom. He wasn't sure if she was just using him to escape her own mind for a little bit or if she actually just wanted to feel him. He assumed a combination of both. Either way, Henry's teenage libido had never been more satisfied.

Breaking from his mouth, Addie began trailing kisses down his chest and lower. With a quick glance up at him, Addie took him into her mouth and Henry let out a groan as he tangled his hands in her hair. After only a few minutes, he was tugging her up. If he had let her continue, it would have been over much too quick.

She quickly brought her lips to his neck and began sucking on the skin there. Henry buried his face in her hair while she worked and was surprised to find she smelled like the sea.

"So what did you do today?" He couldn't help but ask, noticing his voice was a lot gruffer than usual.

"Really?" She smirked as she pulled away and looked into his eyes, "You want to do this now?"

"Why not?" Henry responded as she resumed her ministrations. "I can multitask."

He felt her chuckle against his skin before she pulled away and looked at him again.

Rubbing her hands up and down his chest, Addie finally responded, "I got a job, then went cliff diving."

Before he could congratulate her on the first part, Henry realized what she said next and froze. Though she said that with a slightly smug shrug, he noticed the crazed excitement hiding in her eyes and knew that it must have been extremely dangerous.

"Oh Addie," He sighed, knowing that no matter what he said, she wouldn't stop her stunts, "Let me guess, it could've killed you."

"Exactly." She breathed, returning her mouth to his skin, "Otherwise, where's the adrenaline rush?"

He shook his head, about to berate her for putting her life on the line when she pressed her lips to his once again. At her renewed desperation, Henry forgot what he was about to say, he forgot what they had even been talking about. He forgot everything except the feel of her skin against his.

Reaching down, Henry's hands quickly found her core. He could feel the heat radiating off of her and knew she was ready for him. Pushing her against the wall, Henry took one of her legs and brought it up to hook around his waist. She reacted automatically, wrapping one arm around his neck to hold herself steady and reaching down to line them up with the other hand.

Kissing her gently with a murmured "I love you," Henry entered her.

They both groaned simultaneously as they found a rhythm. It was hot; it was wet; it was desperate. It was pure love.

Henry never felt more alive.

Every time they were together, Henry came to the conclusion again and again that they fit together as two pieces of a puzzle. He and Addie knew each other's body better than they knew anything. He knew where she wanted him before she said it and she knew exactly how to move to make him see stars.

Before he knew it, Addie was gasping out his name and her walls were tightening around him. With one last groan, he followed her into oblivion. They stood there, panting, in the now cooling shower spray, still wrapped around each other for a moment longer. He could feel her trembling and couldn't help the burst of smug satisfaction at that fact. Henry looked into her eyes and saw the words on her lips, but she still refused to say them.

"I love you." Henry said again as she detangled herself from him. He was hoping to prompt her into it but he knew it wouldn't work. She loved him; he was sure of it. However, she needed to be ready to say it.

She kissed him again in response before leaning around him and shutting off the shower.

Unable to help himself as he watched her take his towel and dry herself, Henry blurted out, "When are we going to tell my family?"

Addie froze, turning slowly back to him. "What are you talking about?"

"Us." He insisted, taking the towel from her, "I know we haven't exactly put a label on what we're doing, and you keep avoiding the topic of being True Loves so I don't even know where we stand exactly, but I don't keep secrets from my family."

"Well, what do you want to say to them?" She asked him. Henry expected her to be angry again but she seemed just as desperate for answers as him at the moment. "'Hey, everybody, just thought you should know that I've been fucking Addie'? Yeah, that'll go over well with your mothers."

Rolling his eyes, Henry answered, "Of course not. Besides, you know what we're doing means more than that to me. I am just so happy to be with you that I could shout it from the rooftops. And I know all my family wants is for us to be happy together."

Addie sighed as she finished putting her clothes back on. "I just need some more time, okay?"

Nodding with a smile, Henry knew he was unable to deny her anything.

"Besides," She smirked, raising an eyebrow as she took a step closer to him and placed a hand on his chest, "I kind of like the secrecy. It's kind of hot. And it means I can keep you all to myself."

With a low chuckle, Henry pressed his lips right back to hers and the thought of dressing quickly left their minds.

* * *

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** Dr. Whale is proud of Addie's work in the hospital, Addie discovers what it feels like to have a mother care for her while she's sick, and Henry and Snow discuss his future.

**I hope you liked it!**


	12. Sick People in Sick Places

**Review Replies:**

**Angi**: Here you go! Thanks for your comment!

**Guest**: I actually didn't know that. That's funny though! I was told that the name 'Baka' is another name for 'Scar' (just like 'Kovu' is) in Swahili, which was why I chose to use it. Thanks for letting me know!

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**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

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**Chapter Rating:** T

**Chapter Date: **April 2019 (Ages: Henry – 18, Addie - 17.5, Roland – 11, Neal – 6, Juliette – 4, Elizabeth – 4, Dani – 1.5, Liam - 5 months, Peter - 4 months)

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CHAPTER 12: SICK PEOPLE IN SICK PLACES

"There you go," Addie smiled reassuringly, "Good as new."

The little boy sniffled as he forced a watery half smile onto his face. His parents sighed in relief as Addie finished placing the last touches of the bandage on the child's arm. She had just spent the last half hour stitching up the deep cut on the boy's forearm as he wailed into his mother's shoulder and was relieved to finally be finished.

"Thank you, healer." The boy's father held out a hand for her to shake as soon as she had removed her gloves.

Taking the offered hand, Addie responded, "I'm just glad Tommy's feeling much better now. Just make sure you make a follow up appointment so that we can get those stitches out."

The man nodded as his wife stood and grabbed her son's hand.

"And maybe no more exploring crawl spaces in the dark." Addie added to the boy as his parents dragged him towards the front desk.

He nodded shyly, brushing his long sandy bangs out of his eyes and tucking his face in his mother's arm as he walked.

Shaking her head, Addie began to clear up some of the trash from the bed. It has been two months since she started working at the hospital, and Addie couldn't be happier with the arrangement. Though all are Whale's patients, she has been given ample opportunity to treat them, under his supervision of course. Every other week Addie works a different rotation, whether it be in surgery, radiology, oncology or any of the other specialties. Dr. Whale said he wanted her to gain experience in every aspect of the medical field, even though she has shown exceptional skill in and a love for the operating room. This week, she was in the emergency room, which means she has been stitching all week.

So preoccupied with her thoughts, Addie almost didn't notice Whale himself come up behind her.

"Heard you had a crier." The doctor commented casually.

Addie chuckled as he gestured for them to begin walking the familiar path towards his basement office, "Yeah well, he's just a kid, and that was a nasty cut."

"Which you stitched up beautifully." He commented with his usual nonchalance.

"Is that almost pride I hear in your voice?" She joked, raising an eyebrow in her mentor's direction.

"It is actually." Addie looked at him surprised as he continued. "Not that I ever admit anything like this, but you have impressed me."

Addie simply stared at him until he sighed and continued.

"I knew to expect you to catch on easily, you know, with being the prophesized Healer and all, but it's as if you have been doing this for years rather than weeks. That's far more than I ever expected. You can suture better than half my trained staff, and you probably know a wider range of surgical procedures than any of them. Did you know a couple of my regular patients have even requested to be transferred to your 'practice'?"

"My practice?" Addie asked, shocked. "I don't have a practice. I'm not even a real doctor."

"Not yet, but you will be." Whale stated matter-of-factly as they reached his office. "Besides, I already give you full privileges that only doctors get, and no one's complained yet that someone as young as you has operated on them.

"That's just because everyone knows I'm the Healer. They just assume I'm using some kind of special magical healing powers to fix them."

"As true as that may be, it doesn't change the fact that they want you as their doctor." He looked her straight in the eyes, "And I'm going to give that to them."

Addie raised her eyebrows in shock. "Give them what? Me?"

"Exactly." Whale responded, sliding a piece of paper that looked like a contract in front of her, "From now on, you officially have your own practice. Your office is being prepared upstairs as we speak. I will be giving you your own patient load in addition to your rotations. You have proven yourself to be an exceptionally talented and dedicated medical apprentice and I'm going to reward you for it. Let's call it 'graduating' from my supervision. You're not an actually doctor yet, since you didn't go to medical school, but you are an honorary one. That is, if you want to be."

She was silent for a moment, simply taking in what she was just told.

"I'll take the silence as an acceptance of my offer." Whale chuckled as he slid the contract closer and offered her a pen.

"Of course I accept." Addie couldn't help the grin that overtook her face. She quickly signed the papers.

"Perfect." Said Whale, "Because we've already got a line of people who want to see the Healer." – Addie shook her head in disbelief – "In that case, I will officially fit you into our rotation. Just so you know, if there is ever anything you are uncomfortable with, just let me know and I'll take over."

Addie nodded excitedly.

"Now go home and get some sleep." He dismissed her.

As Addie exited the office, she finally let her excitement fade into the overwhelming exhaustion she has been holding back. It was early morning, but she hadn't slept in twenty-four hours since she worked all day yesterday as well as the night shift. She has been so absorbed in her hospital work that she has been neglecting simple pleasures, such as sleep and food. Addie was sure she was making herself sick – her lack of food and rest has actually been making her nauseous lately – but she loved her work too much to care. That being said, now that she had two days off, she was going to take care to finally catch up on everything.

She has been extra tired lately, which she contributed solely to her hospital work. Though, if she really thought about it, Henry might have something to do with that as well. Addie has found that every time she sees him lately, she has been all over him. Mostly, it's because she knows her body is an easy way to distract him from the whole true love's kiss talk he keeps trying to have, but also because it's a distraction from her thoughts. When she's not working and fixing other people's problems, she tries to find ways to not think about her past and her pain. This is where the sex and stupid stunts come in.

With that thought, Addie pushed her hunger and sleep-deprivation from her mind and pulled out her phone to call Henry.

**…OUAT…**

The light drizzle was barely noticeable as he made his way to his destination. Mud from the earlier downpour squishing underneath his boots, Henry finally reached the familiar stone marker in the earth.

'Beloved Son Neal Cassidy'

Henry wished they had also put 'beloved father' on there as well. He knew that his father never really got to be that for him – Killian and Robin were the only fathers he has ever really known – but he still missed his dad every day. Because of that, he tried to visit his grave once a week and just sit and talk to his dad about his life.

Crouching down, Henry traced the letters of his father's name with his fingertips. However, before he could begin telling him all that had happened this past week, his phone rang. Noticing his mother's name, Henry stood right back up with a sigh.

"Hi mom, what's up?"

"Hey, Henry," Emma's voice came through the speakers, "Whatcha up to today?"

"Not much." He answered, "Just, well, talking to dad."

The silence on the other side told him how much she missed his father too. Henry knew that she tried to come down here every so often to talk to Neal as well. So did Killian, for that matter.

"What did you need?" Henry asked after a moment.

"I was wondering if you could watch Elizabeth and Liam for the day."

"Both of them?" He asked, surprised. As trusted as he was with his siblings, usually someone else was there since Liam was so young, and it's usually only for a short amount of time anyway. "All day?"

"Yes." Emma sighed, "Killian's sick. He's got whatever flu has been going around and I really don't want your brother or sister to get it. I just want them out of the house for the day but Killian needs me so I can't do it."

"What about Grams?" It's not that he didn't love his siblings, it's that he really didn't want to spend his Saturday caring for a baby and a five year old with a knack for trouble.

"I can't get a hold of her, and your grandfather is covering my shift at the station right now." His mother sounded desperate now. "Please, kid."

"Okay." He really couldn't say no to his family. "It's just, I would really prefer backup if I'm watching both of them."

"Wait," Emma said confusedly, "I didn't think you would be alone. Where's Addie? I assumed she'd be with you since it's her day off."

"Sleeping." Henry replied. This was true. He had awoken this morning to Addie's familiar weight straddling his chest, and after a delightful morning of love making, Henry had made her go take a shower and go right to sleep. As much as he would love to spend the whole day with her, he knew she hasn't been sleeping very much lately. "She had the night shift and the day shift yesterday so she was exhausted."

He heard his mother sigh, "That's right, I forgot. She's been working so much lately, she's going to make herself sick."

"I think she has." He agreed, "She didn't look too good this morning when she came in."

"That worries me."

"Me too." Henry winced at the thought of how pale she looked when he put her in bed. "I'm going to go check on her on my way over to pick up Beth and Liam. Maybe I'll leave her a note telling her to meet me if she feels up to it later."

"That's a good idea." Emma breathed, "So I take it that means you'll watch them?"

"How hard could it be?"

**…OUAT…**

Roland's quiet giggle from the couch brought a smile to Regina's face. The boy had been home sick the past couple of days with the flu and hadn't been himself. His laughter at the mindless cartoon he was watching was like music to Regina's ears; she knew he was finally getting back to his usual self.

With a glance over to her daughter who was just as preoccupied with the television as her brother, Regina decided to go check on Addie. Henry had texted her saying that the girl had gotten home from work midmorning and has been asleep ever since. Her son had also expressed his worries about her health. Making sure that dinner would not burn in her absence, Regina made her way up the stairs.

She hoped the smell of lasagna from the oven would be enough to wake the girl who usually had quite the appetite.

The woman had only reached the top of the stairs when Addie burst out of her room and sprinted to the bathroom right next door, hand covering her mouth. Hearing the telltale sounds of retching into the toilet, Regina quickly followed the girl into the bathroom.

"Oh, Addie." Regina murmured as she took in the girl leaning over the toilet bowl and expelling the very little contents of her stomach. She quickly knelt behind Addie and pulled her hair out of her face.

"No," Addie mumbled faintly, lightly shoving her away. "You don't need to see this."

"Yes, I do." She insisted, pulling at her hair again, "When any of my children are sick, I help them feel better in any way that I can."

The girl closed her eyes and pressed her head to the cold acrylic of the bathtub, taking a deep breath through her nose as she did so. Regina rubbed circles on her back comfortingly.

"I'm fine now." Addie opened her eyes after a few moments, "I just need to get this taste out of my mouth."

Letting her get up and grab her toothbrush from the medicine cabinet, Regina stood back and observed the girl in front of her. She was pale, much paler than usual. It was clear by the bony sharpness of her cheekbones that Addie had lost some weight due to her lack of eating lately. The dark circles under her eyes also indicated how tired she truly has been.

After brushing her teeth, Addie seemed to notice she was still there and looked at her clearly embarrassed.

"Really, I feel better now." The girl insisted. "I just haven't really eaten in a while so my stomach wasn't feeling the best and the sudden smell of food just made me nauseous for some reason."

Shaking her head at the explanation and pressing the back of her hand to Addie's forehead, Regina replied, "Hmm well you don't look better."

Addie raised an eyebrow when Regina pulled her hand from her head. "Well?"

"No fever." She was honestly confused at that. Roland had had a fever for days with his bought of the flu.

"See, I'm not sick. I'm fine."

However, that statement was disputed the moment Addie tried to walk from the bathroom. She had barely taken one step when she had to steady herself on the sink. It was clear the lack of food in her system was effecting her strength.

"No, you're not fine." Regina breathed as she wrapped her arm around Addie's waist to hold her steady. Ignoring her protests, Regina helped the girl back to her room and made her get under the covers. "Now stay put while I go get you something to settle your stomach."

She hurried down to the kitchen to grab some plain crackers and a glass of ginger ale. With another quick check on the two children in the living room, both still absorbed in their cartoons, she made her way back upstairs to Addie's room. She was almost surprised that the girl had listened to her and stayed in bed.

"How are you feeling?" Regina asked, knowing full well the girl was not going to answer her honestly anyway. At the expected "fine," she handed Addie the glass of soda. "Take a slow sip. That should help settle your stomach. When you feel up to it, eat one of these."

She placed the pack of crackers on the night stand next to a folded piece of paper with the name 'Addie' written on the front in her son's messy scrawl.

After taking a sip, Addie placed the glass next to the crackers and looked at her curiously.

"What's wrong?" Regina questioned.

Addie looked down at her fiddling hands for a moment as if thinking of how to answer that question. Finally, she responded, "It's just, I don't remember the last time I had a mother to take care of me when I wasn't feeling good. I'm not used to it; that's why I pushed you away earlier."

Regina could feel her heart breaking at the confession. All children should have a mother to care for them when they are feeling ill. She couldn't help the sudden rush of anger to the woman whom she has never met, the woman who pushed Addie away until she left for good, the woman who let her grow up alone yet still holds the title of Addie's Mother. Regina could also tell that the confession was the girl's way of apologizing for her behavior.

Fighting back tears, Regina reached forward and grabbed Addie's hands, squeezing them reassuringly. "Well you'll never be without one again."

Addie took a deep breath, clearly trying to push down her emotional response to that statement. Suddenly overcome with the desire to comfort her even further, Regina kicked off her heels and climbed into the bed. At the confused look in her direction, Regina put an arm around the girl, tugging her close until her head was resting on her shoulder.

"Rest now." Regina whispered, tucking her chin over Addie's head and closing her own eyes, "I'll stay here until you fall asleep. When you wake up, you can get a nice warm shower and I'll have leftovers saved for you if your appetite returns."

Regina felt Addie relax into her embrace until eventually her breathing slowed into unconsciousness.

**…OUAT…**

"Elizabeth Milah Jones, I said wait for me!"

Henry sighed in exasperation as he watched his sister take off down the sidewalk toward the playground. It's only been a few hours and she has made him have to give her the full name treatment multiple times. He could see his grandmother and Belle conversing in the distance so he knew she would be safe. Shaking his head, he glanced in the stroller at baby Liam's gurgling face as he pushed him after their sister.

Elizabeth was already climbing up the slide after her young uncle and best friend when he arrived.

"Hello, Henry," Belle greeted cheerfully as his grandmother stood up to give him a quick kiss to the side of his head and pick up Liam.

"Hi Belle, hi Grams." He replied as he collapsed on the bench next to the women.

He heard them both laugh.

"Rough day with the kids?" Snow asked with a smirk.

"Just a little bit," He answered. "I thought Addie would have joined me by now so I wouldn't have to do this alone."

"Yeah, well she could use the day off to rest." She responded, with a sad smile.

"Very true." Henry sighed. He had been tempted all day to call her or stop home to check on her but he refrained himself. She was probably still asleep anyway.

They were all quiet for a few minutes, simply enjoying the peace of the children off playing. He watched as his six year old uncle shamelessly flirted with a blushing Juliette and he chuckled to himself.

"So you can see it too?" Snow asked with a small smile at him, "He's just like his father."

Belle laughed, "Rumple's not going to be happy about this. How long do you think it'll take them to realize their feelings and end up together?"

Henry snorted but his grandmother looked thoughtful.

"I give it less than ten years," She chuckled at Belle.

Shaking his head in disbelief, he asked the women, "Are you really setting them up already? Neal's only six and Juliette's only five."

"You're never too young to learn about true love." Belle stated with a smile, "You of all people should know that."

Henry turned away from the knowing looks.

"How is that going anyway?" He heard his grandmother ask.

"I don't know." Henry sighed. "She won't let me talk to her, like really _talk_ to her. Any time I try to bring up something serious, she changes the subject."

"She'll get there." Snow reassured him, "I mean, look at your mother. She was exactly the same for so long, but, eventually, Killian won her over. You just can't give up on her."

"I won't." He insisted. That was never an option; he loved her too much to ever give up on her.

"Besides," Belle added, "You're young. There's plenty of time to have all of those serious conversations. Maybe it's even a good thing to hold off. You should probably figure out what you want out of your future before asking her the same."

Snow nodded in agreement.

"For example," Belle said with a teasing smile, "Even with how tiring your siblings are, would you ever want children of your own."

"Of course." He answered without hesitation. Family has always been the most important thing to Henry, and he definitely wanted one of his own someday.

The two women exchanged small smiles.

"With Addie?" Snow asked slyly.

Henry looked his grandmother in the eye, taking a deep breath, and answered honestly, "Absolutely."

She smiled at him affectionately as she grabbed his hand.

At the gesture, however, Henry became suddenly hesitant. "Hopefully, that is. Like I said, she won't let me have any serious conversations. I don't even know if she'd ever want kids."

"She will." Snow insisted, "You see how she is with all of the kids. She loves them, and she would love her own." – She squeezed his hand – "She would love yours."

Henry smiled as he turned away and looked into the distance. Though he was young, the thought of starting a family with Addie appealed to him immensely. He could see it: a little boy with her smile on his face and a little girl with her big brown eyes, both with a combination of their parents' adventurous spirits. He couldn't help the swell of his heart at the thought of raising their children with her and then growing old by her side. Shaking his head, Henry pushed the thoughts from his mind.

That was the future; they still had a long way to go until then.

**…OUAT…**

Addie's heart raced as she paced back and forth on the cold tiles of the tiny bathroom she shared with Henry. Her hands, steady as any surgeons could be, tapped random patterns on her thighs as she looked anywhere accept the timer on her phone that was placed on the edge of the sink, and especially not at the object directly next to it.

This couldn't be happening.

How could she be so careless? She's practically a doctor, for crying out loud. They hadn't even had the what-if conversation. Not that Addie let them have any conversation that she deemed to be moving in a serious direction lately. Henry, being the good guy that he is, let her get away with her avoidance anyway.

Maybe she should have let him have at least this conversation.

She was wrong. Addie kept telling herself that over and over again as she paced. She knew the symptoms of course – the whole almost-doctor thing again – but they could mean something else. She has a bug, that's it, something she could easily have picked up from one of her patients at the hospital, or maybe she caught the flu that Roland had had this past week. Yes, that was it. The reason she can't shake it is because of all the stress and lack of sleep. All she had to do was ask Whale for a few days off to rest up and she'll be as good as new. She was working herself up into a panic for nothing. This was most definitely not what her gut was telling her. She was wrong.

Addie felt her heart skip a beat as the beeping from her phone alarm pulled her from her thoughts.

It was now or never.

Actually, never was probably not a good option. She'll find out eventually either way.

Shaking her head, Addie picked up the phone and turned off the alarm before looking at herself in the mirror. She had dark circles under her brown eyes and her dark waves were still wet from her most recent shower. Her face was pale, accentuating the slight smattering of freckles across her nose and upper cheeks. The fact that she hasn't been eating is apparent in the gaunt look of her cheekbones and her bright red lips, colored because of her nervous twitch of biting them not because of makeup of any kind, contrasted sharply to her pale features.

With a deep breath, Addie finally tore her gaze from her reflection and turned toward the white stick that she had picked up on her way home this morning and had buried under piles of clothes until now. It looked so innocent resting on the other side of the sink, but she knew it had the power to change her life forever.

Picking it up slowly, the rest of the world faded away and Addie's heart sank into her stomach. She traced her finger over the little pink plus sign, willing it to go away, and closed her eyes to fight back the tears.

What the hell was she supposed to do now?

**…OUAT…**

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** Addie thinks, Henry panics, and an attack commences.

**A/N: Another short but important chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! Just a fun fact: I named the little boy in the beginning after Tom Thumb, a fairy tale about a boy who is literally the size of a thumb and gets into all kinds of adventures, including crawling in dark places. It's an interesting tale…I highly recommend reading it :)**


	13. No Safe Place

**Review Replies:**

**Angi**: You'll see :) Thanks for all your comments!

**AmayaBlack**: Thanks for reading and all your comments!

**Bashsister23**: Yes, Avery really is dead. I couldn't let Addie have someone to give her a heads up the next time so it had to be done. Addie is not Kiara; Kiara is the girl Henry talked to at school with her brother. Hope that clears everything up! Thanks for your comment!

**Justices**: Here you go! Sorry it took so long...college feels like a full time job lately and I had a couple other ideas I wanted to finish up first. Thanks for reading and the comments!

* * *

**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

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**Chapter Rating:** M

**Chapter Date: **April 2019 (Ages: Henry – 18, Addie - 17.5, Roland – 11, Neal – 6, Juliette – 4, Elizabeth – 4, Dani – 1.5, Liam - 5 months, Peter - 4 months)

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CHAPTER 13: NO SAFE PLACE

Breathing in the brisk chill of the night air, Addie tried to let all of her troubles fade to the back of her mind for a few short minutes. The view of the small town from the roof of Storybrooke General Hospital was breathtaking, especially at sunset, and she had taken to escaping there during her breaks. She could hear the shouting and the whirling of the sirens in the ambulance bay indicating that a new emergency had arrived. Trying to ignore it, being on her break and all, Addie closed her eyes and attempted to clear her mind.

It didn't work.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the tiny pink plus sign on the pregnancy test. Each moment that she wasn't able to keep her mind preoccupied, her thoughts drifted to that single second when she glanced at the test in her hand and her heart stopped and her stomach dropped all over again. It was only two days ago that that tiny little symbol changed her life forever and she still could not wrap her mind around the fact that she was pregnant.

Addie knew she hadn't been herself since she found out. She felt like she had a new awareness of her life; every breath she took was a bit sharper, everything she looked at a bit clearer. Walking down the street, she couldn't help but feel slightly self-conscious. She had the ridiculous notion that everyone who looked her way instantly knew her secret.

Secret. That's the key word.

She couldn't bring herself to tell anyone. She didn't know _how_ to tell someone. Regina and Robin had taken her in when she was nothing more than a stranger to them. How was she going to tell them that she betrayed their trust by sleeping with their son, regardless of the whole true love nonsense they keep pushing, and now she was bringing another baby into the house? She knew they would love the baby, after they were over the initial shock, of course. They all would. Emma and Killian, Snow and David, they would all love a new member to their already large family. Maybe a bit disappointed that her and Henry are so young, not that Emma had any right to judge, but happy regardless. But Addie was still terrified of their initial reactions.

Especially of Henry's.

He was a kind, brave, and just leader, heir to _two_ thrones, and an incredibly intelligent young man with his whole life ahead of him. How the hell was she supposed to tell him he was going to be a father at eighteen? This would ruin his life.

Addie knew he would love this baby, _his_ baby. That's just who Henry was. Family is the most important thing in the world to him, and she was sure he wanted his own children someday. However, she was also sure he wasn't ready just yet.

Hell, she wasn't either.

She didn't know how to be a mother. Having a good memory, Addie remembered her own mother clearly, which means she remembered exactly how alone her mother made her feel because of her magic. She didn't know how to be a _good_ mother. Yes, Regina, Emma, and Snow were mother figures to her now and they were great, but it's not like they were around her whole life, as much as she wishes they had been. She didn't know if she could do this. Part of her just wanted to run away and never look back. She wasn't even eighteen, for crying out loud!

Addie sighed again, figuring she should head back in now.

She supposed she should have eaten dinner during her break, considering it was about six o'clock in the evening and she needed to start thinking of more than just herself now, but it was difficult enough dealing with the nausea when she wasn't going to be standing in surgery for hours at a time. It was just better for everyone involved if she didn't have anything in her stomach.

Wondering what Henry was doing now, Addie turned to walk back inside the hospital. However, before she could take more than two steps, an earth-shattering rumble knocked her off her feet. The earthquake-like blast only lasted a few seconds before ending.

That's when the screams began.

All thoughts of the baby leaving her mind, Addie quickly jumped to her feet and immediately sprinted into the building. She knew right away what this could be – the cult had been quiet for a few months now, but this sounded the same as last time. They must know she works here now; not that it was much of a secret. By the pitch of the screams and the extent of the damage she was already noticing, they had hit hard, fast and unexpected.

They had to have been planning this for a while.

Racing through the hallways, Addie made sure to stop briefly and check on every patient she could find and direct them toward the emergency staircase. By the smell of smoke coming from the lower floors, the explosions had evolved into flames.

Addie reached the ER, which took up the majority of the ground floor, just in time to see the familiar figures of men and women dressed in all black and wearing gas masks throwing magical smoke bombs at patients and hospital staff alike. She knew they were once again trying to cause as much chaos as possible until they could get to her.

This time, she knew what had to be done.

Ignoring the flash of guilt that entered her stomach at the thought of defying the wishes of her family, especially Henry, once again, Addie took a deep breath, allowing herself to feel her magic beneath her fingertips. She wasn't going to run and hide; she was going to fight and defend her patients and the people of her town.

Gritting her teeth and tightening her fists, Addie ran into the fray.

**…OUAT…**

"You're quiet tonight."

Henry looked up at the sound of his mother's voice. Regina's dark eyes were filled with concern as she reached across the table to still the hand that was pushing the food around his plate with his fork. At her touch, the rumble of voices and shuffling of the inhabitants of the diner came back into focus.

"What's on your mind?" asked Robin, also staring at him concernedly. He felt his step-brother's gaze from his side next to him on the booth. Even his baby sister in her highchair at the end of the booth seemed to be looking his way. His mother had offered Granny's for dinner and though Henry wasn't really hungry, he wouldn't ever pass up the opportunity to spend time with his family. At this moment, however, he was really wishing he were alone.

"What do you think?" Henry sighed. He knew they too had noticed Addie's change in behavior the last couple of days.

"Addie." Roland said matter-of-factly from his right, not even looking up from his cheeseburger.

Henry snorted at the almost-eleven year-old's bored tone but nodded. He had been trying to figure out if there was anything he had done that could have upset her the past two days but was coming up blank.

"Do you know what's been going on with her?" Regina asked, "I thought she had come down with what Roland had but she was just fine the next day, except for her behavior."

"She has been acting odd lately." Robin agreed.

"If by odd, you mean she looks like she's in a state of constant panic and jumps any time anyone looks her way, then I agree." Henry responded dryly. "I don't know what's going on. I've never seen her like this; she honestly looks more freaked out recently then she did the day she regained her memories, which worries me. She's refusing to speak to anyone and every time she sees me, she looks almost guilty."

"I've noticed that too." Regina added. "I think something happened and she's afraid of telling anyone."

"Do you think it has something to do with the cult?" Robin asked in a whisper so that none of the other customers would hear. Henry knew he must be concerned if he was willing to talk about this in front of his son. "Do you think she heard something else – or maybe they even came to her privately – and she's convinced she must sacrifice herself again? That would definitely procure some guilt when around Henry. It is possibly something Addie would do."

Henry felt like his heart was stopping at his step-father's words. Secretly agreeing to sacrifice herself for the greater good? Yes, that is _exactly_ something Addie would do. Trying to push down his emotions, which were a mixture of anger at her stupidity and fear for her life, Henry took a deep breath. If not for his mother's tightened grip on his hand, he would have ran out of the diner in search of her immediately.

"Relax." His mother told him soothingly, "We don't know if that's even true. Besides, she's working tonight and you know she wouldn't leave her patients."

He nodded, knowing she was right, but her words did nothing to quash the fear in his heart.

"I'm going to visit her after we're done here." Henry insisted, looking between Regina and Robin as if daring them to question his decision. "And then wait for her to finish up so I can walk her home."

"I expected that." The queen nodded, "How about we all go? Maybe bring her some dessert to eat during her next break?"

Henry smiled, relieved at their acceptance. She would like that; Addie has quite the sweet-tooth, especially when it came to Granny's peanut butter brownies.

"Hen-ey!" came the squeal from his left just as he was about to respond.

"Hey, Dani." Henry smiled at his baby sister, "How's the grilled cheese?"

He was about to pick up one of the bite-size squares and hand it to her when the floor rattled and several people screamed.

"What the hell was that?" His mother exclaimed, reaching over to pick up Dani who suddenly looked ready to burst into tears.

Henry didn't answer; his heart was lodged in his throat and he couldn't speak. That felt just like it did last time when he was sitting in school and felt the explosions from down the street. It was faint, meaning it was probably a few blocks over, but noticeable enough. He knew immediately that this was another attack.

At the sound of sirens racing past the diner, he jumped to his feet.

Listening closely, Henry mentally mapped Storybrooke, trying to figure out which way it could have gone. By the whispered discussion of his mother and Robin next to him where they too had stood up on alert, he wasn't the only one. He could hear the fire trucks go several blocks and then make a right and then a left a few seconds later, right in the direction of…

Henry felt his blood run cold.

"The hospital." He breathed desperately before turning and sprinting out the door.

**…OUAT…**

Brushing the sweat out of her eyes, Addie glanced around quickly for a spot to catch her breath. Time seemed to move faster when fighting to the death, but she was sure that it had only been about fifteen minutes or so.

Regardless, she could barely catch her breath. Her recent exhaustion was catching up to her and her head had begun throbbing, making it difficult to fight. Not that she was doing much fighting; she was mostly just running circles around her opponents a lot more than she normally did during a fight. Usually if she was in a fight, Addie would have attacked outright; she had no patience of waiting for her enemy to make the first move. However, she realized a few minutes ago that she had been unconsciously on the defensive, naturally rotating her body to protect her stomach.

Ducking down behind the nurse's station, Addie clutched her chest, wheezing slightly as she tried to catch her breath. She could hear the screams and smell the sickening scent of burning flesh, which did nothing to help the near-constant churning of her stomach.

At the pause in fighting, she allowed herself to analyze the situation. Addie had been relying on the knowledge that she had magic to make up for the facts that she did not bring her sword to work with her and her gun was currently locked up tight in her office. However, for some reason she seemed to have less control of her magic than usual, which also accounts for why she has been running more than fighting during this battle. On top of the confusion, the strain of trying to access her magic was causing her head to hurt even more.

"Addie!"

She whipped around at the sound of her name. Emma had leaped over the nurse's station and crouched down beside her. Killian's and David's voices echoed their way from the thick smoke of the battle, signaling that help had finally arrived for the mostly untrained hospital staff trying to defend their patients.

"Emma." Addie managed to gasp out, still breathing heavily.

The sheriff looked at her up and down with concern, as if searching for a sign of injury. "What's going on? Are you hurt?"

Shaking her head, Addie answered her with a question of her own, "How are things going out there?"

"You're not getting off that easily." Emma responded with a reprimanding look, "You're usually the first one out in the fight, so I'll ask again. Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm not hurt." She insisted, but at the woman's raised eyebrow, she continued, "I'm just not feeling too great and figured it would be best if I sat down for a minute. I'm fine."

Emma looked ready to dispute that statement but before she could say anything, a loud blast knocked them both off their knees, face first into the floor. Addie noticed the woman next to her rise back up into a crouch after only a short moment but she couldn't bring herself to get up. The rattling to her already aching head combined with the nausea had Addie turning away from Emma's offered hand to retch on the floor next to her.

"Whoa, okay," Emma exclaimed, eyes wide as she helped Addie sit up slowly. "You are definitely _not_ fine. We need to get you out of here."

Addie was about to protest – she was the Healer, after all, so she could be of some help in battle – but she froze as she heard several other familiar voices enter the fray. One specifically jumping out to her.

Henry.

He had joined the battle. Standing up a little too quickly, Addie had to grab onto Emma's arm to steady herself as her eyes searched the debris and bodies for the familiar figure of her best friend. She found him just in time to see him take down a masked figure and glance down the hall leading away from the ER and towards the operating rooms.

A sudden scream reached her ears in the direction where Henry was staring. Obviously whatever was happening down that hall was what got his attention. Only a moment later, Henry took off toward the screaming voice, sword raised high and a look of fierce determination on his face.

Without another thought, Addie ran after him.

"Addie! What the hell are you doing? Get back here!" She heard Emma's voice behind her but ignored it.

At the end of the hallway, two masked figures were hovering over the gowned body of a woman on the floor. She was alive – the screaming the proof of that assessment – but was trembling noticeably from her fetal position between the figures. One of the men seemed to be leaning over her, yelling something in her face, but the room was too loud for Addie to hear just what yet.

She was only a few feet behind Henry when both masked men looked up at the new arrivals. Leaving the woman on the floor, they turned to him, drawing their weapons. Henry raised his own as he advanced.

"Leave her alone." He demanded, coldly, his hazel eyes flashing.

One man smirked behind his mask while the other chuckled boldly. Neither responded to him. Instead, they simultaneously swung their swords in his direction.

Addie quickly joined the new battle the best way she could. Raising both of her hands, she allowed herself to draw on the warmth in the pit of her stomach from which her magic resided. Closing her eyes and breathing deeply, she visualized fire shooting out of her hands and into the men attacking her Henry.

Just as before, it was difficult to call upon.

Magic had become so natural for Addie it was just like a professional swimmer gliding through the water; however, at this moment, it was like swimming through syrup: difficult and lacking finesse. Instead of a stream of fire shooting toward her enemies, an eruption of flames swirled around the group.

At the arrival of the fire, Henry finally noticed her presence.

"Addie!" He yelled, panic in his eyes both at her closeness to their enemies and the uncontrollable flames dancing around her head. "Look out!"

She was so preoccupied with trying to control her magic that she didn't even notice the third figure approach the small group until a hand was around her waist and another covered her mouth. Addie struggled but she was still too fatigued to put up much of a fight. Not to mention, this man had to be twice her size and weight. Henry couldn't help her either; the other two men had managed to grab him in his momentary distraction.

Unable to call on her magic again, Addie squirmed until she managed to get a hand off of her mouth, but there wasn't much else she could do. Obviously, they had gotten what they came for. One of the men – the one who had been screaming at the woman a few minutes ago – reached into his pocket and pulled out something so small she couldn't tell what it was.

At least, she couldn't tell until he threw it on the ground.

A swirling green portal began forming on the cold tiles of the hospital hallway and the panic rose in Addie's throat. A bean. He had a _magic_ bean. They were taking her away, not just from her family but from her world. She began to struggle harder, desperately hoping that her magic could save her.

It was only at that moment that she remembered what Emma had told her all those months ago: magic was unpredictable and uncontrollable when pregnant.

The feeling of defeat sinking in, Addie could only look at Henry. If they were going to take her, if they were going to kill her in a faraway land, she wanted him to be the last thing she ever saw. He had tears running down his face as he struggled against the two sets of hands holding him to the wall. There was so many things she wanted to tell him, but she settled with the most important.

"I love you, Henry."

Then she was being tugged into a swirling vortex into the unknown.

**…OUAT…**

"Addie!"

Henry sobbed as he struggled against the pair of hands digging into his arms and holding him to the wall. He would definitely have bruises but he couldn't bring himself to care. The girl he loved was just taken away into a swirling portal to an unknown land. His heart breaking, Henry continued to call out until his voice had grown hoarse and the portal closed up behind her.

The second it closed, the two masked figures let him go. Grief turned to rage as he realized they were just walking away. Their job was done so they were going to leave. They just let another one of their friends take away a young girl and now they were probably going to go celebrate a job well done.

They weren't getting away with this.

Henry reached down to pick up his fallen sword and charged at them. Turning quickly as they sensed his approach, they attempted to raise their weapons but weren't fast enough. Henry kicked one man away as he turned his sword on the other. Not even thinking twice, he swung his blade to the side, slicing the man's neck. The mask fell away as a pool of blood began forming from the spurting vein. He would be dead within minutes. Turning to his next attacker approaching him, Henry pointed his blade, running it through the man's chest. He too dropped dead to the ground.

Breathing heavily, Henry stared at the two men he just killed, completely numb.

Addie.

She was gone. They took her. Having no one else to take out his anger and grief on, the feeling of devastation was overwhelming, squeezing his chest until he could barely breathe. Henry dropped to his knees. He felt his pants soaking with the blood pooling on the ground in front of him but he couldn't bring himself to care.

All that matter was she was gone.

His mind kept replaying that final moment. Her struggling against the large man behind her, the swirling green vortex, her panicked but defeated look as she realized she could do nothing to stop it. Henry's heart had fluttered when she yelled out her desperate "I love you" as a goodbye, but he had no time to revel in the fact that she finally admitted to loving him too. It was too late; they took her away.

Tears blurred his vision as footsteps approached from behind.

At this point, Henry couldn't bring himself to care if it was friend or foe, but he turned anyway. He would face his fate head on.

However, Henry had no reason to worry. He turned to find both of his mothers and step-fathers as well as his grandfather standing behind him, staring at the bodies next to him. They were taking in the scene with looks of horror on their faces. He could understand why; he was kneeling in a pool of blood and his sword was still sticking out of a man's chest.

Before they could question him or reprimand him or even say anything, he stood shakily.

Tears still running down his face, Henry gestured helplessly at the scene now behind him, not really caring if they thought him a murderer. With a sob, he managed to force the words out, "She's gone. Addie. They took her. She's gone."

No longer able to hold himself up, Henry dropped once more to his knees, placing his head in his bloody hands and sobbed as his family could do nothing but stare hopelessly and devastatingly at him.

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**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** Henry is broken as he and his family work tirelessly to find a way to reach Addie in the Kingdom of Darkness.

**A/N: Let me know what you thought!**


	14. Empty

**Review Replies:**

**swanalong: **Thanks! I hope so too…I was just a little too impatient to see the story unfold so I made up my own :)

**Guest**: I'm sorry but leaving that little cliff hanger just fit so well with the flow of this story that I had to!

**Justices**: Thanks! Here you go!

**Angial**: Here you go! Sorry it took so long!

* * *

**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

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**A/N:** Sorry it took so long! I've been busy and, for some reason, this chapter was much more difficult to write then one would expect. Enjoy!

**Chapter Rating:** T

**Chapter Date: **September 2019 (Ages: Henry – 18, Addie - almost 18, Roland – 11, Neal – 6, Juliette – 4.5, Elizabeth – 4.5, Dani – almost 2, Liam - 10 months, Peter - 9 months)

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CHAPTER 14: EMPTY

Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock.

Henry counted the seconds on the many clocks he has collected over the years and placed sporadically around his bedroom at the Mills-Locksley house. They were annoyingly monotonous and yet soothing at the same time. Listening to the ticks and counting the seconds had become a pastime over the last five months since the attack on the hospital.

Since the day he lost her.

Shaking his head, he tried not to think about that. It seemed all he did any more was spend time trapped in his own mind, reliving the painful memories of that day and analyzing what he could have done differently.

Wondering if he could have saved her.

He thought constantly about Addie. He thought about her face and her sparkling brown eyes that lit up when she got excited; about her radiant smile and how, when it formed, the right side of her lips always tilted up first; about how her eyes squinted when she laughed; about her playfulness and how she was quite found of hitting him, though he could never complain because it was just an excuse to have her touch him; about her sense of adventure and her impatience and her intelligence and her barely noticeable accent that he loved to make fun of and her admirable loyalty and dedication to her patients and her ability to become bored really easily.

Mostly though, he just thought about how much he loved her.

Sighing, Henry's thoughts had only just drifted to her parting words – her finally admitting to loving him in return – when he felt a violent shove and his face hitting the floor.

"What the hell was that for?" He exclaimed, turning to face his attackers.

Both of his stepfathers stood on the other side of his bed, expressions clearly unamused. Robin was closest to him – obviously the one who shoved him off his bed – while Killian hovered stoically behind him with his hand fiddling aimlessly with his hook.

"To get your attention." Robin answered unapologetically.

Killian nodded beside him, "We've been talking to you for the past ten minutes, lad. It was like you didn't even know we were here."

In actuality, he didn't.

Henry was so preoccupied with his thoughts, he did not even notice his bedroom door open nor hear his stepdads approach the bed. He was too busy thinking, listening to his clocks and staring at the ordinary whitewash of his ceiling that seemed to numb his mind.

"I'm sorry." Henry sighed, standing up off the floor and returning to his position on his bed. "What were you saying?"

"We were saying," Robin exchanged a careful glance with Killian as he explained, "that Addie would not want you to give up on her."

"I haven't!" roared Henry suddenly angry, sitting up once again.

"Then why the bloody hell have you been acting like it!" Killian shouted back exasperatingly, "You have been miserable for months. You helped us with our search at first but then you just gave up, not only on her, but on yourself and your life. You haven't spoken to your friends nor ridden your horse nor done anything else you enjoy since before she was taken. I know you're hurting but you need to live, Henry."

"This coming from the pirate who spent three hundred years plotting revenge." Henry shot back angrily, ignoring the hurtful truth.

"Henry –," Robin reprimanded.

Killian cut him off, "No, mate, he's right. I _did_ spend three hundred years plotting revenge, and where had it gotten me? It did not change the fact that Milah was dead. My crocodile is still alive. I wasn't happy, Henry. I wasn't living. It was not until I met your mother that I remembered what it felt like to truly live again."

"You have your entire family, Henry." Robin added, "And we _will_ find Addie. When we do, don't you want to say you have done everything you can to find her? Don't you want to have lived in her absence? She would want you to."

Henry didn't answer. He knew they were both right, but he has felt so lost – so _empty_ – since the night Addie was taken. It was like a piece of him was taken with her. After that night, he stayed in bed for days until his family convinced him to help. The only time he didn't feel hopeless was when he was searching for an answer, but after his only lead at finding a portal seemed like it wouldn't be getting them anywhere anytime soon, Henry shut himself off from the world. Even with a family whose foundation was practically built on hope, Henry couldn't help but find himself losing his.

For having the Heart of the Truest Believer, he was seriously beginning to doubt he would ever find her.

Once again forgetting his step-fathers' presence, Henry's mind began to wander back to his one victory, his one moment of light, in the darkness that had become his life since his Addie was taken from him.

_"I found a way to get to her!" Henry exclaimed breathlessly as he entered the sheriff's station where he knew the rescue party would be congregated._

_It has been two weeks since she was taken and Henry's family and friends have been working tirelessly to find a way to make a portal. This reminded him of the time all those years ago, just after the first curse had been broken, when his mother and grandmother had fallen through Jefferson's hat into the Enchanted Forest. He was just as lost then._

_Except, this time, it was his true love he was fighting for._

_Several heads whipped around to look at him all at once from the material they were poring over in search of a portal. Both of his mothers, stepfathers, grandfathers, his grandmother, and Belle were all huddled over a stack of books._

_"How?" Emma asked in disbelief, walking over and placing a hand on his shoulder._

_"I found a portal." He explained, glancing around the room, "Or, at least, a way to make one."_

_"What do you mean?" Regina asked, exchanging a look with Rumple, "There's no way to simply create a portal to another realm without any beans, and, according to Anton, there's none left in this world."_

_Henry shook his head excitedly, "There's another way. Have you heard of the Realm of Screams?"_

_Everyone shook their heads. That is, everyone except for Rumplestiltskin. He had a look of understanding and distrust on his face._

_"You have found a Therianthrope, I presume?" The Dark One asked him._

_"Two, actually." Henry smiled proudly._

_"Hold on," Emma interrupted, "What the hell is a Therianthrope?"_

_"A shape-shifter." Explained Henry before his grandfather could answer, "They're native to the Realm of Screams. Most of the time, they stay in human form, but in their world, some jobs consist of shape-shifting into creatures that can only be described as monsters and traveling through portals to scare people. They then collect the people's screams and bring it back to their world where it can be used as energy. It's kind of like their own version of green energy."_

_Henry heard David snort from his side but his eyes were on his mother's face. She looked up at him with a mixture of disbelief and exasperation._

_"Okay, this sounds a whole lot like –,"_

_"Monster's Inc.?" Henry finished for her, unable to control his excitement._

_"Yes." Emma sighed, "Please tell me you haven't met Mike and Sully."_

_Henry just smiled._

_Shaking her head, Emma walked over to her husband and grabbed his flask out of his jacket pocket where she knew it would be, all the while mumbling something about "being done with these damn fairytales."_

_"Regardless of who they are," Rumple added, "I would not trust them."_

_"Why not?" Snow asked warily._

_"You heard what Henry said. Their job is to scare people, in any way possible. That is not someone I would trust. For all we know, they will send us somewhere out of a nightmare."_

_"Did you have a bad experience with monsters in your nightmares or something, Gold?" Emma teased as the man glared at her._

_"For once, I'm with the crocodile on this." Killian added, "It could prove to be a bigger problem than an answer."_

_"We have to try." Henry insisted. "This is Addie we're talking about. She was sent to Abaddon himself directly in his Kingdom of Darkness. I'm willing to take this risk."_

_"He's right." Belle agreed, while several others nodded at her words. "Whatever it takes, we must try."_

_"So what must we do?" Robin asked Henry._

_"Wait." He replied firmly. "We just have to wait. Mike was a little hesitant at first because he is comfortable with his life here and didn't want to go back to making portals – or 'Doors' as he called them – but Sully is on our side. The only thing is, Sully told me that it could take a while since magic is so different here. He told me he was willing to help but we just have to be patient while he works – and convinces Mike to help – on making a Door."_

_"Why can't Sully make one by himself?" Snow wondered._

_"Because, in their world, Sully's job title was only 'Scream Harvester.' Mike was the 'Door Manager' so he understands how they work a little better."_

_"How do you even make a Door?" asked Regina, as Snow nodded in understanding._

_"I have no idea." Henry shook his head, "Sully said he couldn't give away his realm's secrets. All he could tell me was that it is delicate because each Door is specified to a particular realm."_

_"So they have to make a Door that leads specifically to the Kingdom of Darkness." David concluded._

_Henry nodded._

_Emma sighed. "Then I guess all we can do is wait."_

Henry went back to Mike and Sully's hardware store every day for the next two months to check on their progress. Sully had convinced Mike to help, but it was still slow work. It has been three months since he has last checked on them – he knew his grandfather regularly checked since he stopped – and five months since he has last seen Addie.

He was seriously getting tired of waiting.

Feeling another shove, Henry began to topple off the bed once again but he managed to stop himself this time. With a glare in the direction of his stepfathers, he realized it was Killian who shoved him this time.

"What?" He asked the men exasperatingly, standing up to face them.

"Your mind wandered again, lad." Killian sighed, "I know you miss her; we all do. However, that is no excuse for lying around on your bed or disappearing to the clock tower for hours at a time. Come join the search again. While we wait for the Therianthropes to come through, help us search for an alternative, just in case."

Henry sighed, knowing they were right.

**…OUAT…**

"We just don't know what to do anymore."

Emma nodded in agreement by Regina's side while her co-mother pleaded with Dr. Hopper to understand their situation. "He doesn't eat; he doesn't sleep; he barely even talks to any of us. Robin and Killian are trying to talk him into actually getting out of bed today, but I doubt it will work."

Regina had approached her a few days ago about having another chat with Archie, but Emma was hesitant. A few weeks after Addie disappeared, both of Henry's mothers decided it was time for their son to begin seeing his childhood psychiatrist again; however, after the disastrous first session in which he accused Dr. Hopper of "trying to poison his memories of the girl he loves" and wrecked the office in a grief-stricken rampage, he hasn't been back.

Though, Emma and Regina had both apologized on behalf of their son, it has taken them several months to show their faces at his office again.

Archie nodded, understandingly. "That's not really surprising. Henry is depressed. The girl he loves was taken into such an awful place and there is little to no chance of ever finding her again, at least alive. What I don't understand is what you want me to do. Do you wish for Henry to begin sessions again?"

Emma shook her head, "No. All of us saw how that ended last time we tried. We were just hoping you could give us a little insight. How do we help him?"

"You show him that you are there for him." The shrink concluded, "You reassure him that you will find Addie, whether you believe it or not. You show him that he is loved and then give his heart time to heal."

"That's what we're trying to do!" Shouted Regina frustratingly. Emma placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Of that I have no doubt." Archie reassured her, "But he's in pain. Sometimes when you are in so much pain, it blinds you from hearing the truth. You of all people should understand that, Regina."

Feeling the woman tense under her hand and wanting to prevent an attack on the local therapist, Emma spoke up, "Is there anything else we can try?"

Smiling thankfully at the sheriff, Archie replied, "I'd suggest keeping him occupied and involved. Before he shut himself away, Henry worked part time for Mr. Gold, correct? Insist he start going to work again. If you don't think that would work, perhaps let him help out at the station. Keep him involved in everything you do so he feels like he's doing something to help her."

Emma nodded at his words, exchanging a look with Regina, "We've tried offering. Maybe it's time to just start insisting."

"Exactly." Smiled the doctor.

Before she could say anything else, Emma's phone buzzed, signaling a text message.

"Is everything okay?" Regina asked with a glance over Emma's shoulder at the screen.

"Yeah," the sheriff confirmed, "I'm just needed back at the station. The family of the missing midwife wants to talk to me again."

"Missing midwife?" Archie asked curiously as Regina nodded in understanding.

"Last week a man reported his older mother had gone missing." Emma explained, "He had gone to check up on her like he does every few days and she wasn't home or anywhere else. She works as a labor and delivery nurse here, but back in the Enchanted Forest, she was a midwife."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Dr. Hopper frowned. "That's terrible news. I hope you find her."

"So do I," Emma responded as she stepped toward the door. "Thank you for talking to us, Archie."

"Any time." he insisted earnestly, "Keep me updated on Henry."

"Will do."

Regina nodded her head, giving a small wave goodbye, and followed Emma out the door.

**…OUAT…**

Killian sighed impatiently as he watched his stepson slowly make his way around his room in search of some clothes. Hearing Robin's stifled snort by his side at his expression, Killian promptly elbowed him in the side.

"Oi, watch it, mate!"

"You can't tell me you are not equally as frustrated right now." The pirate asked, ignoring the fake hurt look on his friend's face.

"I'm not denying my frustration at his intentional stalling." Robin explained, "I'm only appreciating the small favors. He _is_ out of bed."

With another glance at Henry, he replied, "There is that."

"You know I can hear you." The teenager insisted angrily, pulling on his jeans as slow as possible, before making his way in search of a shirt.

"You were meant to." Killian shot back.

Henry was about to retort when the trio heard heavy footsteps rushing up the stairs before the door to the bedroom opened with a slam.

The three men jumped to attention, automatically reaching for their weapons, and whipped around to face a panting David in the door way.

"Bloody hell, mate," Killian exclaimed, "Where's the fire?"

"They did it." The prince managed to gasp out, "Mike and Sully did it."

Killian felt his mind go numb. He was sure his friend had just implied that the two Therianthropes had successfully made a portal to the Kingdom of Darkness. As hopeful as he was, Killian didn't truly expect an answer for a while yet.

"They did it." It was the raw incredulity in Henry's voice that made Killian pause and look at the young man. He had tears in his eyes and he had dropped the shirt that he was about to pull over his head. Jaw slack and eyes wide, Henry looked like a man dying of thirst finally being handed a glass of water. "How – When –?"

"I went over for my weekly check and Mike said he was just about to call. They finished it. They made a door to get us to Addie. Everyone's getting their weapons together and heading over there right now. We are going to get her back."

"Then what the hell are we waiting for?" Henry exclaimed, snapping out of his stupor. Quickly picking up his fallen shirt and pulling it over his head, Henry scrambled to find his sword and attach it and its sheath to his belt.

With only a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure his stepfathers and grandfather were following him, Henry sprinted out of his room and in the direction of the portal that will take him to his love.

**…OUAT…**

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** Henry and his family enter the Door to the Kingdom of Darkness itself in order to rescue Addie and bring her home, but new revelations wreck their plan into devastating consequences.

**A/N: Just as with The Lion King, I know Monsters Inc. is not even remotely a fairytale, but I thought the whole door to another world thing would be an interesting new twist on realm-hopping. Of course, I just had to change this one too. Therianthropes are shape-shifting creatures most notably used in Greek mythology.**

**Thoughts, comments, suggestions…Let me know what you think!**


	15. Into the Heart of Darkness

**Review Replies:**

**SoulBeats: **Sorry! It just fits so well with the story! By my count, early September would actually make her about 7.5 months along (if she got pregnant the first time her and Henry were together, that would mean she was about 2.5 months when she found out), but I'm sure Henry is going to be shocked either way. :) Thanks for your review!

**Angial**: Sorry! I'm glad you are enjoying it though! Thanks for your review!

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**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

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**A/N:** Here you go! I hope you enjoy the quick update this time! I really wish I could get them up this fast every time! Enjoy!

**Chapter Rating:** M

**Chapter Date: **September 2019 (Ages: Henry – 18, Addie - almost 18, Roland – 11, Neal – 6, Juliette – 4.5, Elizabeth – 4.5, Dani – almost 2, Liam - 10 months, Peter - 9 months)

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CHAPTER 15: INTO THE HEART OF DARKNESS

The door was pitch black, contrasting outstandingly to the brightness of the hardware store around it. It had been set up in the middle of the room, held upright by metal frames on either side that were fastened to the tiled floor. A large circle had been cleared around it by pushing all the merchandise and shelves aside, giving the door the appearance of a trophy on a pedestal.

This image was only reinforced by the reverent but determined gazes of the small crowd surrounding it.

"Let's go over the plan one more time." David insisted, double checking the fastenings of his sheath on his hip and his gun holster under his jacket. "Legend says The Destroyer's fortress is made up of one large ground floor, an extensive dungeon area, and several towers. We are going to split up to save time and give us a better chance of finding Addie. Remember, we only have four hours until this door is set to close. Once it does so, we have no way of ever returning home, so I expect all of you at the rendezvous point on time. Henry and Killian, you are with me."

His grandson nodded, also securing his sheath, "We've got the dungeons because that's most likely where he'll be keeping Addie."

"Right." He agreed, "Also, the three of us are the best with swords and, chances are, she will be heavily guarded. That only leaves one archer with one sorceress, thanks to the lack of help from Gold." - he rolled his eyes frustratingly - "Regina and Robin, you two will take the main floor. Check every room but be careful. Abaddon's throne room is on that floor."

Regina nodded curtly as her husband replied, "Understood."

David turned to his daughter, who was standing by his side, arms crossed but gripping her husband's hand tightly where it lay over her shoulder. He knew they did not want to split up – just as it pained him to be separated from his own true love – but this was the best course of action.

"Emma."

Before he could even give her directions, she responded promptly, "Mom and I will take the towers."

"Sometimes prisoners are kept in towers so there is always the chance Addie, or any other captives, are being kept up there." Snow added, nodding in agreement to her daughter's words.

Nodding confidently, David took a deep breath.

They were ready.

"Four hours." He reminded his family, with emphasis, as they lined up behind him in front of the door. "We only have four hours from the time that door opens to the time it closes for good. I expect to see all of you back at the door in once piece in exactly _four hours_."

"With Addie." Henry added earnestly.

"With Addie." He agreed.

He then turned questioningly at the two men who had been standing quietly on either side of the door.

"It's all up to you now." The smaller of the two told him gruffly before he could speak, "I've done everything I can but that's all the time I can give you."

"You've done plenty, Mike." David smiled gratefully, "Thank you for your help. You as well, Sully."

"It was my pleasure." Smiled the bigger man, "Mike and I will stand guard here so that no harm comes to the door while you are inside. I can make no promises to the door on the other side."

"I understand."

With another deep breath, David reached forward and turned the handle.

Walking through the door felt like being doused with a bucket of ice cold water. The portal was unlike any he had been through before. While most felt like falling into a whirlpool, this was a shock to the system that had David feeling even more awake and aware than he had been before. He could feel his skin tingling as his family entering behind him. From the few grumbles and exclamations, they too felt the icy translucence of the door.

Finally turning to take in his surroundings, David froze. He felt his jaw drop and his eyes widen.

"Bloody hell." He heard Killian mumble as the pirate came up beside him, overlooking the land before them.

David had to agree with his son-in-law's assessment.

The Kingdom of Darkness was aptly named in his opinion. It looked like something straight out of a horror film starring the devil himself. The sky was pitch black; David would have guessed it to be midnight in this realm if he didn't notice the lack of moon and stars. Something told him there was no night or day here, just darkness. The only light came from the scattered flames that rose up in the distance.

They seemed to be on the outskirts of a village, though it was definitely not like those of his own kingdom in the Enchanted Forest. These streets were deserted and all the houses were dark. That is, they were all dark except for the ones on fire. These did not seem like ordinary flames, however. As far as he could see, the flames continued on, fluctuating in the size of the inferno, but never ceasing. The houses showed no sign of burning down.

There was no one in sight.

Beyond the village stood their destination. The fortress stood tall and grand, made of stone as black as the sky that was serving as a backdrop. The tops of the towers were in flames. Just as the houses in the village, this seemed to be more of a decoration than destruction. This castle stood on the coast of what looked to be an eternal sea colored red as blood.

"Bloody hell is right." Exclaimed Emma, stepping up beside her husband, "What the fuck did we get ourselves into?"

No one answered. They were all in shock over the world they had walked into.

"We're wasting time!" yelled Henry, snapping himself out of the stupor and checking the watch on his wrist. "We now only have three hours and fifty-seven minutes left. Come on. Addie's waiting for us."

"Right." David nodded, "Let's go get our girl back."

With that, Henry took off through the village in the direction of the fortress with his family trailing readily behind him.

**…OUAT…**

The fortress was even more formidable when standing directly in front of it. The stone walls stretched high into the darkness of the sky, seemingly impenetrable. Unlike the joyful, busy noises that Henry always imagined enveloped his grandparents' castle in the Enchanted Forest during its prime, this grim bastion was silent but for the rolling waves of the blood sea on the coast.

"You would think this bloody castle would be more heavily guarded." Killian whispered, breaking the silence.

"I agree." David muttered, "This feels like a trap."

"This whole damn realm is the trap." Growled Emma, glancing the turrets up and down, "Why keep guards when no one in their right mind would willingly enter this place?"

Henry felt there was a lot of truth in his mother's statement, but he also sensed there was something more threatening securing this castle from the inside.

"We need to keep moving." He stated, motioning to enter the open gates into the empty courtyard beyond. Before he could take another step, however, his stepfather's hand on his chest made him pause.

"I know you're in a hurry, Henry, but we need to think this through." Robin implored him at his questioning gaze, "I've robbed many a castle in my day. There will be traps around every turn. By the deserted appearance of this one, I believe we are being tested."

"Tested?" Snow asked, with a wary glance over her shoulder.

"To see how far we can make it." Killian concluded, knowing what his friend was implying. "Aye. I agree with Robin. However, Henry does have a point. We must keep moving. I think we should continue with the plan. We all know how to handle unexpected adversaries."

Regina nodded in agreement, "Besides, the security measures are probably all on the inside anyway. Why waste time out here? We need to face them head on."

Relieved he had at least two of his family members on his side, Henry motioned for all to follow him and began walking toward the gate. However, once again, he was stopped.

"What now?" he asked Robin exasperatingly.

"In case this is a trap, Henry, allow me to go first."

Henry could see Regina's hesitant and fearful gaze glued to her husband's back as he made his way through the opened gate and into the courtyard. They all held their breaths. A few tense seconds later, Robin turned and looked back at the group.

"Empty." He confirmed, motioning for them all to follow.

Quickly following his stepfather, Henry made his way into the courtyard. As Robin had said, it was deserted. There were a few old stalls that looked as if they had once sold handmade goods to the inhabitants of the castle and village, but they seemed long empty now. They probably hadn't been open for business in years. Henry couldn't help but wonder what happened to this place or the people who clearly once resided here.

Across the square stood the entrance to what was obviously the inside part of the castle's ground floor. To the left, there was a stone doorway in which a set of stairs could be seen, leading up to a tower. On his other side, Henry noticed another stone doorway, this one with a set of stairs leading downward.

This is obviously the part where they split up.

Turning back to his family, Henry saw by the pained and fearful looks that they had clearly come to the same conclusion. Emma walked over to him and pulled him into her arms tightly.

"Be careful, Henry." She muttered into his ear, "I love you."

"I will, mom." He squeezed her tight, closing his eyes and allowing himself a moment of comfort from his mother's embrace. "Love you too."

After she pulled away, Emma turned to her husband and fisted her hands into the familiar material of his leather jacket. "Come back to me."

"Always, my love." He replied before kissing her softly. That was the only goodbye they needed; both could read the love they had for each other in their eyes.

Henry turned to his grandmother then, hugging her quickly before she said her goodbyes to her husband, who was finishing up his own goodbyes with his daughter. With one last glance at their loved ones, the two woman disappeared into the stone doorway to the left and began making their way up to the tower.

"Our turn." David said quietly, tearing his eyes from where his wife had disappeared.

Walking over to Regina, Henry threw his arms around his other mother and held her close, breathing in the soft scent of her perfume that he grew up finding comfort in. She gripped the back of his head with one hand and fisted the back of his shirt with the other. After a moment, she pulled away and kissed his cheek softly.

"I love you, Henry."

"I love you, too, mom."

Having now said goodbye to both of his mothers, Henry was ready to do what they came here for: to find Addie. He gave Robin a quick hug before turning toward the other staircase. With a deep breath, Henry started toward it, pointedly not looking at his remaining family members. He felt more than heard Killian and David follow him.

The three men cautiously and quietly made their way down the stone staircase into what could only be the dungeon. The staircase was dark except for the flickering glow made by the sporadically placed torches. Henry wished they had thought to bring flashlights with them on this adventure.

Weapons at the ready, Henry made his way slowly down the spiraling stone stairs, followed closely by Killian and David. He was both surprised and grateful that they were letting him take the lead, not that he would have given them much of a choice if they had decided to argue.

The only sounds that could be heard were the slight crackling of the flames, their quiet footsteps on the stone and Henry's breathing that was slightly haggard both from adrenaline and the twenty minute sprint it took to get to the castle from the Door.

When they finally reached the bottom, Henry quickly took in his surroundings. They were correct in assuming this was the dungeons. The damp air smelled of sweat, desperation, and the slightly metallic hint that signified old, dried blood. As far as he could see, the dungeons consisted of one long corridor lined by rusted cages.

It was empty.

"She's not here!" growled Henry angrily, kicking the bars on one of the cells. The small flicker of hope that had overcome him since finding out the portal was successful was slowly draining. Her not being here felt like someone had taken the stabbing pain in his heart at her absence and just twisted it further. "She's not fucking here!"

He went to kick the cell directly across from it but was stopped by Killian.

"Lad, calm down." The pirate whispered firmly, "You must calm down and stay quiet so we do not draw attention to ourselves. We will find her, Henry. She's just not here. For all we know, one of your mothers is with her at this very moment."

Breathing heavily, Henry tried to clear his mind. He knew Killian was right.

"Guys?" David called to them with an odd tone to his voice. While they were talking, he had been investigating the cells.

"Did you find something?" Henry pulled himself free from his stepfather's restraint and hurried into the cell his grandfather's voice came from. David looked at him, worry clear in his eyes and held up the object he had found.

It was a shirt.

Henry's shirt.

The same shirt that Henry knew for a fact Addie had been wearing underneath her scrubs the day of the attack on the hospital.

He had been there when she had gotten dressed that morning. She had been acting odd for days so when he heard her scrambling around in her room trying to get ready for her twelve hour shift that day, Henry had gone to talk to her. He had walked in just in time to see her put on one of his shirts that she had previously stolen, saying something about needing layers because the operating rooms were kept cold. She had then ran out on him before he could insist she tell him what was wrong.

"Isn't this yours?" Henry heard his grandfather's pained voice through the blood rushing in his ears. All he could do was nod. Henry's mind, as minds tend to do when in a panic, began to overthink about the most unnecessary facts. He knew he should be more concerned about the reason that shirt was off, but all he could think about is how cold she probably was at the moment. Addie was always cold.

"Your shirt?" Killian asked, confused. "How did that get here?"

"Addie." Henry croaked out, trying to refocus on the task at hand. He quickly took the shirt from his grandfather's fingers and held it to his face. It still smelled like her. "She was wearing it under her scrubs the day of the attack. She was here."

It was only once he had the shirt in his hands that he realized why David sounded so pained when he asked about it.

The shirt was stained with blood.

Henry felt his heart shattering. He knew without proof that this was her blood. Somewhere, wherever she is, Addie was hurt.

"No." He gasped out, feeling tears welling in his eyes.

"Henry." David said as he stood up, "We will find her. This is proof that she was here. We are a step closer to finding Addie and bringing her home."

"Yeah, she was here but she was also _injured_!" Henry yelled in panic.

Before either of the other men could tell Henry to quiet down again, a sound could be heard echoing down the stone staircase. They all froze, listening closely. It sounded like several sets of footsteps. More specifically, it sounded like several sets of padded footsteps with claws scraping on the cold stone of the floor, like those of an animal.

Raising their weapons, the three men exited the cell only to come face to face with a pack of dogs.

Big dogs.

Big dogs with sharp teeth and bloodthirsty, predator-like gleams in their eyes.

"I guess we found the guards." Killian muttered, paling as the leader stomped his paw on the stone floor and the rest of the pack began growling. Henry braced himself, sword pointed in front of him. He noticed his grandfather do the same out of the corner of his eye. Killian raised his sword with one hand and his hook with the other. They stared down the pack anxiously.

A second later, the dogs attacked.

**…OUAT…**

"What the hell were those things?" Emma exclaimed, panting heavily and leaning against a stone wall, trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she was almost eaten by a giant, bloodthirsty dog-like creature.

"I think those were the guards." Gasped her mother, clutching her side and trying to catch her breath.

Snow recovered first, checking her bow and quickly taking stock of the number of arrows she had left. Emma followed her lead, checking her gun for its remaining bullets and making sure her sword was still strapped to her side. Though she has been relying mostly on her magic, Emma was still one to feel more comfortable with physical weapons at hand.

"Then that must mean we are close to something important." Emma replied, getting ready to keep moving.

"Or someone." Snow added with a nod.

At that, the woman exchanged a hasty look before quickly making their way down the hallway. Emma could see that there was another cell door at the end of the long, stone hall and, just as they discovered of the rest of the doors in this place, was locked by a large, ancient-looking metal lock.

Emma easily picked the lock.

Without needing to say anything, the women settled into their routine. Snow automatically stood with her bow at the ready, arrow pointed to the door, as Emma reached for the handle. She pushed it open and it swung back with an eerie creek. The room was dark except for one torch illuminating a small, unmade bed pushed against the wall in the corner.

As Emma took a step in, she immediately sensed another presence. Turning instinctively, she formed a fireball in one hand and held her gun up in the other and faced the figure hiding behind the door.

Her would-be attacker was holding a makeshift knife made out of what looked like a chiseled spoon. The small figure's tangled hair flowed wildly down her back and into her pale, grimy face. Her once blue clothes were now wrinkled and stained and looked closer to a brownish color. Her pants were loose, clearly the effect of a lot of weight lost in a short amount of time and the gaunt look of her face told of malnutrition. The girl looked up at her slowly and carefully.

"Addie." Emma breathed in awe.

Though she was clearly in horrible shape, Emma thought the sight of Addie was the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. The relief coursing through her veins nearly brought her to her knees. At her words, Snow burst into the room, dropping her bow the second she laid eyes on the girl they both considered a daughter.

Addie took a step back in shock, her makeshift knife lowering to her side and her eyes widening.

"Emma?" She gasped out confusedly, dropping her knife in surprise and looking at the women like she has never seen them before, "Snow?"

"It's us, Addie." Snow said tearfully, rushing forward to pull the girl into her arms, "We found you. We're getting you out of here."

Emma felt the tears well up in her eyes and quickly joined the hug. She tangled her fingers in Addie's hair and clutched her close. She was alive. The girl that she loved as a second daughter was here, alive and in her arms. Nothing else mattered in this moment except that she had her Addie back.

The moment was shattered by a sharp wail from the rumpled mess on the bed.

Addie pulled back suddenly, a hesitant look gracing her face, before walking over to the source of the noise. Emma exchanged a look with her mother. If she wasn't mistaken, that almost sounded like…

"Is that a baby?" Snow asked in shock, as they watched Addie reach down and pick up what Emma had initially thought was a bundle of blankets. Sure enough, the face of a very small crying baby peered out of the blankets it was swaddled in.

"Hush," Addie muttered, rocking the baby gently in her arms. At the sound of her voice, the crying quieted until it stopped all together a few seconds later. Looking back toward them, the girl finally responded. "Yes. This is Elliot. I call her Ellie."

"They're keeping a baby locked up here too!" exclaimed Snow angrily, before shaking her head and taking a step closer, her eyes softening at the sight, "She's so small."

"That's because she's a preemie. She was born nearly seven weeks early."

Before Emma or Snow could say or ask anything else, they heard the familiar sounds of barking and clawed feet running on the stone floor in the distance. They exchanged a look before turning back to Addie who had quickly picked up her knife again, the baby clutched protectively to her chest.

"Do you know what those are?" Emma asked urgently.

Addie nodded, "Those are the guards. They're not normal dogs; they're incredibly smart, very well trained and have a keen taste for human flesh."

"Wonderful." Snow breathed sarcastically, "We need to get out of here now."

Emma nods in agreement as her mother picks up her fallen bow. Turning to Addie, she tells her, "Stay close behind me and try to keep the baby quiet. Mom, you take the back and protect them from behind."

Snow was about to agree when Addie shook her head.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked, quickly glancing at the door before looking back at the girl.

"I'll never make it." Addie replied quietly.

Emma froze. Her heartbeat was loud in her ears as she stared at the girl in disbelief. The girl who she had only known as a fighter from the moment she met her had a look of resigned desperation on her face. Addie held her gaze for a moment before glancing down at the baby in her arms. Her already tear-filled eyes full of pain.

"What do you mean you'll never make it?" Snow asked in confusion, "We _will_ get you out of here."

Addie was already shaking her head again before Snow had finished talking. "I'm too weak. I'll only slow you down."

"It doesn't matter." Emma insisted, "We are not leaving without you."

Emma was confused. Yes, Addie definitely looked weak – to the point that Emma was about to go put her arms around the girl before she passed out – and would probably need to spend some time in the hospital when they got home, but she has never known her to give up. Maybe it was the baby. She knew firsthand how exhausted a baby can make a person, especially a newborn. As horrible as it was to keep a baby captive, at least they had given her to a professional healer. Regardless, that was still no excuse to give up on her own escape.

With a small sigh, Addie leaned down and kissed the baby on its tiny forehead lovingly. Her expression was pained as she looked back up at her and Snow.

"I need you to take her." Addie stated softly, looking between the two women tearfully.

Before they could question her, she was removing the bow from Snow's hands and placing the baby into her arms gently. Emma watched as the girl backed away slowly and turned her back on them and the baby, her shoulders shaking slightly with what she knew were stifled sobs.

"Addie, what –,"

The girl spun back around suddenly, cutting Emma off, "Please! I need you to take her. You need to get her out of here and bring her to Whale as soon as possible. She was born too early and should have been in a hospital nursery for weeks under constant supervision. There was a midwife here for her birth but he killed her only a few hours later. I know enough to see that she is mostly healthy, but there are some things only certain tests can find. You need to make sure she's okay. I want you to take care of her and love her and raise her as your own. I need you to do that for me because I can't do that myself! I need you to take her because _that_ is her best chance!"

Emma felt her mouth drop open at Addie's outburst. She watched as the girl clutched her stomach in pain, breathing heavily with tears running down her face. There was something about that wording that struck her. Suddenly, Emma had a flash of small hospital room almost nineteen years ago and her younger self handcuffed to a bed sobbing as she turned away from her newborn son. She could still feel that pain of giving up her child, knowing she was doing the right thing but feeling as if she was tearing her own heart in two.

"She's yours." Emma concluded breathlessly. She felt her mother whip her head around to look at her, eyes wide, before turning and looking back and forth between the sobbing girl across from them and the tiny babe in her arms. "When you said you were weak, I assumed from being starved or tortured, which I'm guessing is true, but it's more than that. You just gave birth on top of everything else."

Addie looked up at her tearfully and nodded slowly, unable to help it as her eyes wandered to her daughter in Snow's arms.

At the confirmation, Snow gasped, tears welling in her eyes. Emma felt her heart break all over again. She had said it many times before, but she will say it again: she and Addie are too similar. They were both too young, too locked up and too alone.

"I had only just found out I was pregnant a few days before the attack on the hospital." Addie explained at their questioning gazes. "I didn't know how to tell anyone, but I guess I didn't need to. They would've taken me either way. I only gave birth early yesterday morning. I lost a lot of blood. The midwife – they took her from her home in Storybrooke in the middle of the night, she said – she couldn't do anything to stop it. My magic wasn't helping. She didn't think I'd make it, so we were both surprised when the bleeding stopped on its own. Elliot" – she smiled preciously at the baby – "appeared healthy to both of us, but we knew we had to get her to a hospital to be checked out. The midwife was going to take her away, sneak her out for me, but they overheard the plans and killed her."

Emma felt tears rolling down her face and knew the same could be said for her mother. She supposed that answered the question of the missing midwife. As for Addie, if she lost as much blood as she says she did, there really was nothing they could do.

"Oh, Addie," Cried Snow, holding the baby instinctively closer to her chest, "You could have told us. We would have helped you; we wouldn't have left you. You can tell us anything."

"I know." Addie sighed, "I know. And right now, I'm telling you to take my daughter and get out of here. I'll distract them so you can escape."

As if on cue, the barking picked up again from outside the door, only this time closer. Emma's heart began beating faster. She knew their time was running out.

Heart breaking, Emma looked intently into Addie's eyes. The girl held her gaze and Emma could read her plea loud and clear. That was a look of a mother. That was the heart-wrenching look of a mother in such a desperate and hopeless situation that all she can do is put her child before anything else. That was a look of a woman pleading one mother to another with someone she hoped understood her situation.

Emma understood.

As much as it pained her, Emma knew what they had to do.

She quickly walked forward and pulled Addie into her arms. She could feel her tears running down her face as she buried her nose in the girl's hair. Addie returned the hug with the force of someone saying goodbye for the last time.

"I love you, Addie," Emma whispered, cupping the back of her head and tangling her fingers in her hair. "I need you to remember that. We all love you. You're family and you always will be. I'll take care of Elliot; she will always be loved."

"Thank you," the girl mumbled into her shoulder, "I love you, too. All of you. Make sure Henry knows that."

Emma nodded as she pulled away.

Suddenly, her mother's voice rang out from behind her, "You're not seriously considering leaving her behind? We don't do that!"

"You have to!" Addie pleaded, as the barking got closer to the cell door.

Snow was about to argue when Addie decided to take matters into her own hands. With one last longing look at her daughter and the goodbye in her eyes for the two women she saw as mothers, she turned, summoning her last bit of strength, and ran into the hallway.

Emma could hear her yelling, calling the dogs and leading them down the hallway opposite of the one she and Snow arrived. She could hear her mother sobbing, insisting that they go after her, but Emma shook her head, trying to swallow the lump in her throat and ignore the shattering of her heart.

"I know." Emma whispered brokenly, turning to face her mother, "It feels like I just let my own daughter run to her death, but she's right. We need to go. We need to save this baby."

Picking up Snow's fallen bow and placing it over her own shoulder, Emma motioned for her mother to follow her out into the hallway. Determinedly not looking back in the direction Addie had run, Emma made her way down the hallway in the direction of the entrance. They were almost at the end of the hall when a bloodcurdling scream had the hairs on the back of her neck standing on edge.

Unable to help herself, Emma turned. She watched as a small back of flesh-eating dogs overpowered Addie, forcing her to the ground. They converged on her and she let out another pained scream. It was only the small cry from the baby in her mother's arms that prevented Emma from throwing all caution to the wind and diving into the pack of dogs to save the girl.

Snow was sobbing next to her and Emma could see her own vision blurring with her tears. Reaching over, Emma stroked the small baby's forehead gently, reminding herself that this was who she was fighting for now. They needed to go before the dogs realized there was more fresh meat.

Emma grabbed her mother's arms and forced her to walk ahead of her. Heart breaking, Emma turned her back on the scene behind her and walked away.

**…OUAT…**

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** The rescue team return home without Addie, but not entirely empty handed. At the hospital, Henry meets his daughter.

**A/N: I'm sorry! Such a sad ending but that's the way the story flows!**

**Just a fun fact: the scene with Addie, Emma and Snow in her tower cell was one of the three scenes that have been in my head since the very beginning (the other two being Henry and Addie's true loves kiss and one scene that will show up in the next chapter). Those three scenes came to me in a dream and from there the story was born. It was fun finally being able to write it!**

**I hope you enjoyed it anyway! Let me know what you thought!**


	16. Tiny Humans

**Review Replies:**

**Angial:** I'm sorry! But if I'm killing my readers, I'm doing my job right. :) Thanks for the comment!

* * *

**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took awhile to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby

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**A/N:** Here you go! I hope you enjoy the quick update this time! I really wish I could get them up this fast every time! Enjoy!

**Chapter Rating:** M

**Chapter Date: **September 2019 (Ages: Henry – 18, Addie - almost 18, Roland – 11, Neal – 6, Juliette – 4.5, Elizabeth – 4.5, Dani – almost 2, Liam - 10 months, Peter - 9 months, Ellie - 1 day)

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CHAPTER 16: TINY HUMANS

The first thing Emma heard as she and her mother approached the door on the edge of town was her son's voice. Her heart broke even more than it already was at the sound of pure pain and devastation in his tone.

"No!" Henry was screaming, with tears running down his face. Killian and Robin were physically restraining the young man as he fought to run back in the direction from which they came. It was apparent to Emma, from the strained looks on the men's faces as well as the tracks in the dirt, that her son had been dragged the entire way back from the fortress. "We can't leave her! What the hell are you doing? Don't you care about her at all? We need to go back! We still have a few minutes! We didn't find her yet! _I_ didn't find her yet! Addie! Addie!"

Emma felt the tears well in her eyes at his pain and her own. She couldn't blame Henry; she was five seconds away from using her magic on her own husband and friend so that she could release her son and go rescue Addie with him. She knew it would all be for nothing though.

Addie was dead.

Taking a deep breath to prevent herself from breaking down, she vaguely heard Killian trying to talk some sense into Henry. "We are out of time, lad, and you know it. The deal was we all come back. If you go back, you won't even make it half way to that bloody castle before this portal closes behind you. We'll find another way to come back and save her."

"All of us includes Addie!" Henry shouted, trying desperately to pull his arms free. He looked like a madman with his eyes wide and the veins in his neck straining, clawing at both of his stepfathers' hands in an attempt to release himself.

Stifling a sob, Emma raised her hand, feeling the familiar heat of her magic in the pit of her stomach, and gave the three men a slight shove. She watched their surprised looks disappear into the icy translucence of the Door's portal as her magic threw them backwards into their world. David and Regina, who had been standing on either side of the Door looking unsure of how to jump in and help deal with Henry, both turned suddenly as if just now noticing the new arrivals and gave her grateful, yet sad, smiles.

"Nothing?" Regina asked her desperately, looking back and forth between her and Snow, tears in her dark eyes. Emma shook her head hopelessly just as the older woman's gaze fell on the baby.

At her questioning look, Emma muttered thickly, "There's no time to explain. We need to go now."

Sure enough, the Door was beginning to crackle and fade. Emma knew they had seconds before they were stuck in this godforsaken place for good.

"Go!" She yelled to her mother, willing her to get the baby to safety first. Regina quickly followed. At her father's gesture, she stepped through next. David was right behind her.

The feeling of being doused in ice water was equally as unpleasant on the return trip and Emma felt herself shaking her head in disgust. However, before she could even begin to complain, her son's desperate pleas reached her ears once again.

Killian and Robin were still attempting to restrain him as he clawed uselessly at the now empty doorway.

"Please! Open it back up! I need to find her!"

"Henry –," Regina began sympathetically, in pain over her son's pain.

"Open the damn door!"

"Please, lad –," Killian let him go, knowing that there was nowhere for him to go anyway.

"No! There has to be a way back!"

"Come now, Henry –," Robin grabbed the boy's shoulder, only for his hand to be thrown off angrily.

"Addie! I will find you! I just need to open this –,"

"HENRY!"

It was only Emma's shout, half sob and half demand, which got his attention. At his mother's voice, Henry quieted and turned to face her. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was beet red with exertion and he had tears running down his cheeks. Emma could tell the second he laid eyes on her broken, tearful face, that he knew what she was about to say.

"No." He whispered brokenly, fresh tears beginning to leak out of his eyes.

"We found her, Henry," Emma cried, holding her son's devastated gaze with her own, "But it was too late. She's gone."

"NO!" So overwhelmed with grief, Henry began to rage around the shop. Mike and Sully, who had been silent since the group returned, could only watch as the boy began destroying their merchandise in anger.

Emma noticed as everyone else in their small rescue party seemed to break at her words. Regina took a step back as if shoved, her face crumpling as her husband wrapped his arms around her to hold her up. Her sobs coupled with Snow's echoing around the room. Emma felt Killian's arms come around her from behind and she reveled in the comfort of her husband's embrace. By the wetness growing on the back of her neck, he too was tearful. David's face paled and furrowed as he took a step closer to his wife's shaking figure. It was only when he froze a few steps away from her that Emma realized he had just remembered the baby in Snow's arms.

Before either of the women could explain, Henry chucked a lamp across the room. The sound of the shattering glass awoke the sleeping baby. At the sudden wails from the bundle of blankets in Snow's arms, everyone's eyes snapped to the source of the sound. Even Henry's heaving body froze and stared at his grandmother in disbelief.

"Snow, what –," David was so confused, he couldn't even get the words out to form a question as his wife instinctively began rocking and hushing the child in her arms. There was no need for him to continue as, suddenly, the barrage of questions began from the rest of the group.

"What's going on?"

"Is that a baby?"

"Who is that –,"

"Where the bloody hell did you find a baby?"

The noise was rushing in Emma's ears and she suddenly couldn't take it anymore.

"She's Addie's."

Once again, Emma's firm statement silenced the room. She heard Regina's intake of breath and she could see the confused stares between her and the baby from her husband, her father, and Robin. Snow nodded in confirmation at their questioning looks.

However, it was Henry's reaction that drew Emma's attention. Her son's red face paled instantly and his eyes widened dramatically. She watched as his fists relaxed and his arms fell uselessly at his sides. He took a step back, reaching instinctively for something to grab on to. Henry managed to hold onto a shelf with one hand and raised the other to half cover his face. It looked as if that shelf was the only thing holding him up at the moment. He wouldn't – or couldn't, thought Emma – tear his eyes away from the small baby in his grandmother's arms.

Emma waited for someone to say something, but no one spoke. They all stared at the baby in disbelief. After a moment, she realized they were all taking turns glancing at Henry, clearly waiting for him to speak first; however, her son stood frozen in place, a look of devastation evident on his face.

Deciding to take matters into her own hands, Emma announced, "We need to get her to the hospital. Addie told us to get her checked out as soon as we returned. She asked us to take care of her right before…"

She couldn't finish. She couldn't say the words out loud because even the thought of them sounded foreign in her own head, no matter how many times she has repeated them to herself in the last few minutes to try to wrap her head around the situation. She couldn't say them because it still didn't seem possible that Addie was dead.

Sensing her daughter's inability to finish her statement, Snow took over tearfully. "Before she gave her life to allow us to escape with her daughter."

She could hear a few sobs at that statement. There wasn't a dry eye in the room at her mother's words.

"She died to give her daughter her best chance." David concluded. His sad smile gave off a reflective and proud look to his face.

"Aye." Killian nodded, "A noble cause."

Emma expected Henry to fight back, to explode once more in a devastated, broken-hearted rage, but he did not even move. She decided he needed time to process. In the meantime, they needed to fulfill Addie's last request.

"We need to go now." Emma insisted tearfully, exchanging a look with her mother before gesturing toward the exit, "The longer we wait, the more problems this baby could have."

**…OUAT…**

When they arrived at the hospital, Dr. Whale was waiting – having been called by David along the way – with a portable incubator, in which the baby was immediately placed before being rushed away. Henry watched longingly as the doctor and his nurses took the tiny human to be checked out. He hoped desperately that she was perfectly fine. He didn't think his crumbling heart could take one more ounce of pain.

The group all sat around the waiting room in one big mass, huddling in nervous anticipation for any kind of news. No one spoke; no one moved. Henry assumed they were all in shock, just as he was. In an attempt to wrap his mind around everything that has happened, Henry began listing the facts in his head.

Fact one: Addie was dead.

That was the hardest fact to accept. His heart felt like it was being ripped in two. Henry wanted to simultaneously cry, scream, break something, and curl up in a ball and die all at once. It felt as if his life was over. While his body may be breathing, his heart had stopped beating. For with Addie's death, his own life had become meaningless. She was his true love; his one chance at eternal happiness. He had nothing to live for. That is, he had nothing to live for except that tiny, squirming bundle that the hospital staff had just taken away from his family.

Which brings him to fact two: He has a child.

The second his mother announced that the baby was Addie's, he knew. He knew that that was _his_ child in his grandmother's arms. That was _his_ daughter that was born in and rescued from hell itself. His and Addie's. Henry didn't even know what to feel. The conflicted, hurt and rational part of his brain questioned why she did not tell him. Did she even know before she was taken? He supposed that didn't matter. His heart was too broken from the death of his love, he didn't know how it would ever recover enough to love again. However, at the same time, just the thought of that baby girl, started his heart beating once more. He had a _child_. He was a _father_. It didn't seem possible.

Henry shook his mind from his thoughts. He could sense his family's eyes on him. They were trying – and failing – to be inconspicuous, but he could see their concerned, tearful glances.

Just as he was about to say something to them, a young nurse hesitantly approached the group. They all seemed to jump up at once in anticipation, effectively startling the woman.

At their expectant looks, she spoke, "You have a perfectly healthy baby girl on your hands. She is incredibly small; we'd guess about six to seven weeks premature. We suggest keeping her here for a few weeks for monitoring, but there is not much to be done. Physically, she's healthy."

Henry released the breath he didn't know he had been holding. He could hear the collective sighs from his family around him.

"Can I see her?" Henry asked suddenly, surprising himself as well as his family. They turned questioningly at him. He supposed he had them all worried since he hadn't spoken since his mother revealed the maternity of the baby.

The nurse, also surprised by his sudden question, turned to him confusedly.

"My daughter." Henry continued, struggling slightly at the term and pointedly ignoring the heads whipping in his direction in shock along with both of his mothers' gasps, "Can I see her?"

**…OUAT…**

Emma only vaguely heard the young nurse stutter something about checking to see if the tests are almost done. She kept replaying her son's words in her head over and over. She had to be mistaken; there was no way that her son – her _eighteen year old_ son – had just stated that the baby girl she rescued was his.

But there was a way.

Henry and Addie had True Love; they were soul mates. There was no disputing that fact after their True Love's Kiss broke her curse. They loved each other, as much as Addie denied it. Of course Henry was the father to her baby. There was no one else it would be. Why didn't she think of that before? It makes perfect sense.

Then again, she was so preoccupied with the task of escaping Abaddon's Fortress, the shock over the baby's existence and the grief over Addie's death that she didn't even have the time to stop and think about the father's identity.

Now that she knew though, she just couldn't get over her son fathering a child at such a young age. Not that she had any room to judge; she was eighteen when he was born, after all.

"Your _what_?" Regina managed to gasp out, breaking Emma from her thoughts. She looked up at the woman's pale face which was staring intently at their son in shock.

"My daughter." Henry confirmed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"She's yours?" Snow asked breathlessly, looking at Henry as if she couldn't believe a word he was saying, while David stood next to her looking at his grandson thoughtfully. "How is she yours?"

"Well Grams, I really don't think I need to explain that to you." He stated, appearing slightly uncomfortable at the question.

Emma stifled a snort at her mother's flustered look.

"I don't think that's what she meant." Regina cut in, looking to be on the verge of hysterics, "We knew you and Addie were True Love obviously, but we didn't know you _were_ anything; we all saw her continuously pushing everyone away, including you! Now you're telling us you were sleeping with her?"

"It makes perfect sense." Emma interrupted before her son could answer. At her family's questioning looks, she continued, "Because it's what I would have done at her age. Hell, I would have done it up until a few years ago. Think about it. She was so overwhelmed with having her memories returned and all the weight that the prophecy put on her shoulders, that she didn't want to add anything else to it. Add in the revelation that she has a soul mate, her natural instinct to fight her feelings for Henry and the guilt over avoiding his obvious affection…"

"And she was projecting all of her feelings into a physical form so she didn't have to fully commit to them or worry about them." Snow concluded.

"That sounds familiar." Regina added sarcastically with an eye roll in Emma's direction, still looking slightly upset.

"I knew what she was doing." Henry stated quietly after a moment. Everyone turned to look at him sadly. "She told me as much. Said she didn't want to think, didn't want to give into all the emotions swirling around her head and in her heart. But I could help. I could take her mind off of things for a while. I kept asking her to tell everybody, but she was never ready. It didn't matter too much to me because I was in it for the long haul. What was I supposed to do? I loved her."

"Oh Henry," Emma muttered, pulling her son into a hug. She could feel him trembling in her embrace.

"Well, for one, you could have been _careful_." Regina sighed, only just beginning to calm down since the revelation.

"We were!" Henry exclaimed, his voice cracking, "Every time…except the first time. I don't think either of us realized what was going to happen until it was already happening the first time. But I should have known, I should have stopped it. I'm so stupid! If I didn't get her pregnant, she'd be here right now! She'd be alive!"

"Henry, breathe." Regina wrapped her arms around her now-sobbing son. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. You can't think like that; her death is not your fault."

"She's right, lad." Killian added as soon as Henry pulled away from his mother, sniffling and wiping at his eyes, "You can't blame yourself. It won't do you any good; it will only serve to push you into a downward spiral of grief and anger. Don't let that happen. Take it from someone who knows." – Emma reached out and squeezed his hand reassuringly, knowing he was thinking about his brother and Milah – "You must be strong. It's not only yourself you must think about now."

David nodded in agreement, "He's right, Henry. You need to be strong for your daughter. She's going to need you."

Tears filled Henry's eyes once more at their words. Emma knew what he was thinking: how was he supposed to raise his child without its mother, especially at such a young age?

"You're not alone, Henry." She reassured him, "You may be young, but you are not alone. You have all of us."

"She still won't have her mother." He whispered brokenly.

"I know, Henry." Robin spoke up for the first time. "I had the same fears for Roland when I lost Marian, but your child will know her mother. Through you and through us. We will make sure she knows who Addie was."

Henry was quiet for a moment, before looking up at his birth mother. "I don't even know the baby's name. If I know Addie, she had one picked out."

"Elliot." Snow smiled sadly before Emma could answer. Henry whipped his head to look at his grandmother. "Addie said her name was Elliot, but she called her Ellie for short."

"Ellie." Henry muttered to himself, testing out the name. "Elliot. Ellie Rae. I like it."

He took a deep breath, brow furrowing in thought.

"What is it?" Regina asked quietly.

"I just, I just can't seem to wrap my head around it." He looked up confusedly, "I'm a father."

There were a few tearful chuckles at that, despite the somber mood.

"I'm with you there," Emma added with a snort, "I can't seem to wrap _my_ head around the fact that you made me a grandmother at only thirty-six."

"Oh my god," she heard Regina gasp out, "I'm a grandmother."

Even Henry cracked a smile at his mother's reaction. However, before anyone could say anything else, they were interrupted by the return of the young nurse.

"They're finished with her now." She stated with a small smile, "Only the father is allowed in the nursery, but there is viewing area with a large window for the rest of the family."

She looked around hesitantly, as if just now realizing that the small crowd was, in fact, all family.

Henry took a breath, "Lead the way."

**…OUAT…**

The shy nurse forced him into a pair of scrubs too similar to the ones Addie would wear to work before allowing him anywhere near the nursery. As much as Henry knew it was necessary, he couldn't help the rush of impatience and anxiety that came over him at the thought of leaving his daughter alone for any longer.

She needed him.

That was the one mantra racing through his thoughts. His daughter, his little Ellie, needed him. She needed her father because she no longer had a mother to care for her. As long as Henry kept his thoughts on his daughter, he was restraining the flood of grief that has been threatening to overwhelm him since the news of Addie's death.

"Here you go, daddy." The nurse whispered with a sad smile and a forward gesture as soon as they had stepped foot into the small room. From what he could see, there was only four available cribs in the nursery. Only one was occupied.

At the far end of the room, right beside the window that he knew his family would arrive in front of any minute now, was a lone active incubator. The wires leading into the glass box along with the whirring and beeping of the machines made him nervous, but he knew they were only for her own good. There was a small pink sign on the outside with the words "Baby Girl Mills" scribbled in a neat handwriting.

Feeling like his throat was closing up, Henry took a step closer to the see-through incubator.

She was so tiny. That was Henry's first thought as he finally laid eyes on his daughter. She was so tiny he was convinced he could almost fit her in the palm of his hand. Her skin was a pale pink and looked paper-thin judging by the blood vessels he could see too clearly through it. There was a small patch of light hair sticking out from underneath the green hat on her head. Other than the hat, she wore no clothing except for a diaper that looked much too big for her. She had too many wires attached to her small body and he could see her chest rising and falling rapidly underneath the tape keeping them attached.

"Ellie." He whispered, tears welling in his eyes. "Can I touch her?"

"Of course." The nurse responded quietly, "In fact, you can hold her if you'd like."

Henry nodded quickly, eager to finally wrap his daughter safely in his arms.

"Just so you know," the nurse explained as she opened the incubator and carefully maneuvered the baby around the wires and wrapped her in a blanket, "She's three pounds, one ounce, and a full ten inches long. That's pretty average, but healthy, for a preemie as early as her. This is good news."

When the baby was in her arms, she motioned for him to mimic her position, placing the baby in his arms the second he did.

Henry couldn't help the tears that rolled down his face as he finally held his daughter for the first time. She was so beautiful; the most beautiful baby he'd ever seen in his life. The urge to protect her and love her and hold her close was so overwhelming it could have brought him to his knees. He didn't think he's ever loved anyone or anything as much as he loved the little girl in his arms.

"Hello, Ellie." He half-sobbed, half-laughed with joy, "I'm your daddy."

He was so absorbed in his daughter's tiny face, he didn't even realize the nurse was still in the room until she spoke.

"I'll give you a moment alone while I go direct your family to the viewing area. Is that alright?"

"Yes." He mumbled, not taking his eyes off of Ellie.

She was perfect, in his biased opinion, and she was his; she was his tiny human, part Addie and part him. He took in every inch of her soft skin, trying to discern who she looked like. Henry noticed right away that she had Addie's small but pointed nose and full, pink lips. However, her eyes were all his – almond shaped with long lashes. Her small ears looked like his grandfather's and she had the same dimpled chin that his mother and grandmother also share. Her heart-shaped face was his as well.

Out of the corner of his eye, Henry could see the arrival of his family through the glass but he couldn't bring himself to look away from Ellie for even a moment.

It was in the moment she managed to free her tiny hand from the blankets which she was swaddled in and wrap it tightly around his shirt, he finally broke.

Henry felt the tears falling steadily down his face but he didn't brush them away or even bother to hide them. He was so overwhelmed with all of the emotions swirling around his head. He was heartbroken over the death of his love; overjoyed with being a father; guilty over not being a part of Addie's pregnancy; angry over the entire situation and the unfairness of life.

However, beyond all that emotion and grief, he managed to hold onto one thing. He didn't know what the future would hold, but he knew in his heart that his life would never be the same. He knew that the most important thing in the world right now – that he needed to put before everything he was feeling – was the little girl in his arms.

"I love you, Ellie." Henry promised his daughter, "I will always love you and I will always be there for you. No matter what."

**…OUAT…**

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** The rest of the family meets baby Ellie, Abaddon makes his first real appearance, and powerful magic is revealed.

**A/N: I know, still kind of sad! I hope you still enjoyed it!**

**I really hope no one was OOC in this one, especially Regina. I just liked the whole idea of her being the mother who freaks out over news like that and Emma being the more rational one since she'd been there before. I also hope I did Henry's moment with his daughter for the first time justice. I'm not a parent so I don't know but I can assume that feeling is almost indescribable.**

**For those of you who paid attention to the fun fact in my last chapter, the scene where Henry declares the baby is his daughter to his family is the third and final scene of my original three. **

**Let me know your thoughts!**


	17. The Most Powerful Kind of Magic

**Review Replies:**

**Angial: **You'll see :)

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**Summary: **Over four years after the death of the Snow Queen, Storybrooke is at peace. That is until a girl shows up one night with a mysterious past that not even she can remember. As she grows closer to our heroes, unrest grows in the magical town. This time, it's Henry's turn to face adventure and romance in the fight of good vs evil.

**Background: **Story starts off at Thanksgiving dinner at the Mills/Locksley house (by my timeline, November 23rd, 2017). Killian and Emma have been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Elizabeth. Regina and Robin have also been married for 3 years now and have their daughter, Danielle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle took a while to reunite after his return to Storybrooke, but eventually they arrived at a good place and started a family. They now have been married for over 4 years and have their daughter, Juliette.

**Pairings:** Henry/OC, Killian/Emma, Robin/Regina, David/Snow, Whale/Ruby, Rumple/Belle

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**A/N:** Sorry for the long wait! It's just been a busy time of year for me, as I'm sure it has been for many of you. This chapter was also very difficult to write for some reason. Also, just for your information, I have gone back through this entire story and updated chapters as well as redone the format. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter Rating:** M

**Chapter Date: **September 2019 (Ages: Henry – 18, Addie - almost 18, Roland – 11, Neal – 6, Juliette – 4.5, Elizabeth – 4.5, Dani – almost 2, Liam - 10 months, Peter - 9 months, Ellie - 1 day)

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CHAPTER 17: THE MOST POWERFUL KIND OF MAGIC

The flames lining the walls of the fortress were sweltering as she was dragged down the stone staircase and through the long, dark hallway towards the throne room. Addie swallowed down a moan as the dogs on either side of her clamped their jaws harder around her upper arms. Their tugging motions tore at her already cut and bruised skin and their quick pace pulled and exasperated her poorly healing ribs. Not to mention, she was still weak and sore from her near-fatal birthing experience. At this point, she would rather be in chains in her tower.

Addie allowed her thoughts to wander in an attempt to forget about her physical pain. However, the ache in her heart was worse. Being separated from her baby girl, her Ellie, was the worst pain she had ever felt. That little girl was all she had these past months aside from the guard dogs and the four walls of her cell. Ellie was her own flesh and blood; she was a part of her – a part of her and _Henry_ – that could never be replaced, could never be replicated.

In her heart, Addie knew her baby would be safe. She knew Ellie would grow up in a good home, safe and happy and loved. She only wished she could be the one to give her that home.

Addie also wished that she knew for sure that Emma and Snow had managed to escape. She had every faith in the two women, but she also knew how unpredictable and dangerous this place could be.

Her heart had broken as she had watched the devastated looks on their faces as they ran in the opposite direction of where she was being attacked by these devil dogs. Addie was sure the only reason the women left at all was because of the baby in Snow's arms. Just as she loved them as mothers, she knew they loved her like a daughter. If the pain of watching Ellie leave her sight was any indication, Addie knew how excruciating Emma's and Snow's pain at leaving her behind must have been. She knows that they must think she is dead, which is what she was going for in her 'sacrifice'.

That still does not make it any less painful to think of what she is putting them through.

"Hey, watch it!" She winced as her knees scraped on some uneven stone on the ground. Addie really wished they would have let her walk. Then again, considering her guards were _dogs_ of all creatures, it's not like they had two hands to hold her while she walked alongside them.

Her guards growled in response to her words, tightening their jaws once more. Addie stifled another moan of pain. Their teeth were going to leave marks, she was sure of it.

As they entered the throne room the stone floors gave way to sleek black and grey tiles that seemed out of place in a realm such as this. Keeping her eyes lowered on the floor, the checkered pattern seemed to calm Addie's breathing slightly. Inhale on the grey; exhale on the black. With her breathing steadier, Addie felt infinitely stronger and more alert.

She was ready to take on Abaddon.

The moment Emma and Snow had entered her cell, the plan had taken fold. Addie knew she was weakened and her injuries would hold her back, but her daughter's future was – _is_ – her top priority. If Abaddon lives, Ellie will never grow up safe. Even if she knew that her daughter would be safest with her family. Getting Ellie to safety – and 'sacrificing' herself to do so – would be her opening. She knew Abaddon would request to see her the second her family left the realm.

In all her months as his prisoner, Addie had yet to meet the Destroyer face to face; he had only spoken through his servants, who happened to be the very members of the cult that had been terrorizing Storybrooke. She knew he refused to meet her until after the baby was born, most likely so that he could take her baby and use her as leverage. However, this latest breach in his security was sure to anger him enough – both because he lost his leverage and because she was the cause of the whole rescue mission – to call special attention to his favorite prisoner.

So far, she had been right.

Lifting her head as they approached the singular throne in the center of the room, Addie met the eyes of darkness himself. The throne itself was built out of bones – human, she was sure. The scattered remains of his opponents littered the floor by his feet. Abaddon himself wore a suit of black leather-like material that was open slightly at the chest, revealing a necklace made of what looked to be human teeth. His dark hair was shaved close to his head and was covered by a silver crown with black accents. The smirk on his face did nothing to brighten the soulless voids of his dark eyes.

He leaned forward slightly, placing his forearms on his knees so that they were face to face. Addie cringed at the foul scent of stale blood on his breath. She did not want to know if that was from a recent consumption or simply being around death enough that the smell has become permanent.

Smirk widening at her recoiled expression, Abaddon finally spoke in a deep, slightly lilting voice. "Hello, Healer, we have much to discuss."

**…OUAT…**

Regina watches silently as the young nurse whispers something to her son inside the nursery and, at his enthusiastic nod, reaches over to begin pulling wires off of the infant in his arms.

The waiting room is silent, each member of this large, slightly dysfunctional family lost in his or her own thoughts. For one, Regina was still in shock, as were the others she was sure. She still can't quite wrap her head around the fact that her son had a child. Her little boy, the one she raised and loved his entire life, was a father at only eighteen. She would question whether he was ready or not if it weren't for the absolutely adoring look on his face as he stared at his daughter like she was his entire world.

Regina closed her eyes for a second, taking a deep breath, only to open them and find Henry was no longer in view. As suddenly as he disappeared, the door to the nursery opened. The nurse held the door as her son came in to view, his arms cradled protectively around his daughter.

"Henry." She heard herself mutter breathlessly at the sight in front of her. At her voice, Henry walked right towards her, smiling slightly at the rest of the onlookers.

"Mom." He said when he was right in front of her, his voice thick with his recent tears, "I believe it's time you all _officially_ met Ellie."

Henry passed his daughter carefully into her arms and Regina could feel the tears well in her eyes. She was beautiful; the perfect combination of Henry and Addie. Already, Regina couldn't imagine her life without this baby girl – her _granddaughter_. She was a _grandmother. _Yes, technically, she was Emma's step-grandmother, but that is not the same at all.

Over the next several minutes, Ellie was passed from arm to arm, everyone wanting to get their hands on the newest member of their family.

Looking around, all Regina could see was the tears – both in joy of this little girl and the devastation of the loss of Addie. One thing she knew for sure was this was family, and they would get through all of this together.

Eventually, the baby made her way back into her father's arms and the relief on his face was palpable. Though Ellie was safely being passed among her family, Regina could see the completeness in her son's young face as soon as he was reunited with his daughter.

"I love you, Ellie." He whispered, before pressing his lips gently to her forehead.

The sudden burst of magic spread throughout the room and extended beyond to what Regina was sure covered all of Storybrooke. Though it was not unexpected that Henry would truly love his daughter, the true love's kiss that radiated from the duo surprised everyone in range.

What surprised the group even more, however, was the small bit of magic that began pooling at Henry's side. Drawing a deep breath, Henry's previous adoring yet devastated smile faded into shock before growing into an even wider smile. He quickly placed his daughter in Regina's arms before turning and facing the now swirling white light.

Releasing his breath, Henry raised his head, a knowing grin widening on his face.

**…OUAT…**

After finally being released from the excruciating grips of the dogs, Addie shakily got to her feet. She turned to face the Destroyer, hoping she was able to mask the amount of pain she was in but unable to help instinctively clutching at her stomach.

"What is there to talk about?" Addie grunted, glaring at the man as she met his eyes. "You have me. Go ahead. Get rid of me before I can fulfill my prophecy of defeating you."

"And put an early end to this lovely introduction?" His falsely sympathetic expression made her blood boil. "I would never."

Standing up from his throne, Abaddon stretched to his full height and towered menacingly over Addie. Taking a deep breath, Addie internally cursed her short stature at a time like this. She took a step back instinctively, cringing when he followed, his face much too close to hers.

"As I'm sure you know," The Destroyer continued in a casual voice, "My name is Abaddon, and I am the creator of the very darkness that you hero types fear, the very darkness from which I draw my strength. And you, my dear, could prove to be quite the problem. You see, I like my strength, my magic, my power – in fact, I _revel _in it. If by some chance I were to lose that power at your doing… well, I wouldn't be very happy then, would I?"

Addie decided to ignore him and not to let his condescending tone get under her skin. "What's your goal?"

"My goal?" Her seemingly random question momentarily confusing him.

"Yes, your goal." Addie repeated triumphantly. "Just as you say all of us 'hero types' have a fear of darkness, all of you 'villain types' have an underlying purpose to all the terror you cause. What do you hope to achieve?"

"My dear Healer, I just told you." Abaddon gestured to her and then back to him. "I merely want the power that is rightfully mine. I _created _darkness. That is no easy feat. Thus a power such as the darkness should trump all other powers in any world, making all of it mine."

"There it is." She responded sarcastically, attempting to aggravate him into being the first to attack. "Taking all the power in every world. That's what you're going with?"

By the veins pulsing in his forehead and neck, Addie observed that her attempt to annoy him seemed to be working.

"You mock me." He growled, "Yet I am the one who holds all power here. In time, I shall be the one to hold all power everywhere. I will be the vessel of the most powerful magic to ever have existed."

"You see, that's where you're wrong." Addie countered, "We both know – though I'm sure you'll deny it – that the most powerful magic of all is true love. And that's one thing I highly doubt you will ever have."

Before she knew what was happening, Addie was being thrown backwards by a burst of energy, skidding to a halt a few yards away. Abaddon's power radiated as he stalked over to where she was still lying on the ground. Addie had been counting on her adrenaline to keep her standing despite her weakness; however, merely breathing seemed like an impressive feat for her at the moment.

Crouching down beside her, Abaddon whispered cruelly, "If true love is so powerful, where is yours right now? He's not here to save you."

He returned to a standing position and took a few steps back. Addie could tell by his sadistically triumphant smile that he was preparing to launch what he believed to be the final blow.

Addie prepared herself. She thought back to that moment before she regained her memories, when she had erected the magical force field in an attempt to protect her family from Zira and her cult. In theory, she knew that if she recreated that to protect herself, she could possibly manipulate her magic to rebound the attack at the Destroyer. Addie knew there was a likely chance that it wouldn't work the way she wanted; she knew she was too weak and it was likely her barrier would be destroyed in the process.

She accepted this fate. At least this way, she was taking him down with her.

Magic crackling beneath her fingers, Addie allowed herself to think of Henry in what could turn out to be her final moments. She wished she could have had more time with him; she wished she could have had forever with him. Though it had taken her a long time to accept it, she knew in her heart that she loved him truly and completely. Despite the fact that they were fated to be soul mates, Henry was the perfect man for her. He completed her, challenged her, and loved her in a way that no one ever had. Addie knew he would be a wonderful father to their daughter; she only wished she could see it. Her heart broke at the thought of Ellie growing up and Henry growing old without her by their sides.

In that moment, Addie felt an overwhelming rush of love for her soul mate and her daughter. She suddenly felt more connected to Henry than she ever had before. It was as if he were there; she could smell him, hear him, and feel his presence as if he were standing directly behind her.

With that burst of love, came a rush of strength. Addie rose slowly to her feet, facing Abaddon with confidence and a magical barrier that she was sure only she could see. Still unsure if that would be enough to defeat him and live to tell the tale, Addie closed her eyes and breathed in Henry's presence, drawing strength from the familiarity and love.

Suddenly, she felt a burst of magic release itself from her fingertips, enacting a white light to her side. The light began to swirl and grow until it resembled a portal coursing with love, magic, and every color of the rainbow.

Out of the corner of her eye, Addie was aware Abaddon was just as frozen in shock as she.

As impossible as it seemed, Addie knew immediately that this was Henry's doing – her and Henry's doing. Just as their true love had created another life in their daughter, it would create a second chance for her to live. She knew this was it, this was the moment that their true love – the most powerful kind of magic – would once and for all defeat the darkness.

With a small smile and a deep breath, Addie whispered one word as if the finality of her voice would bring resolution to all the conflict. "Henry."

**…OUAT…**

"Addie."

The sudden burst of love and magic overwhelmed Henry to the point that he instinctively clutched his chest with one hand and reached toward the swirling magic with the other. The second his hand was extended, white light attached itself to Henry's fingertips.

He was suddenly overcome with Addie's presence. Though he knew the moment her name unconsciously burst from her mouth that she was alive, this seemed like a confirmation. Henry could feel her as if she were standing next to him; he could hear her voice, smell her hair, and even touch the ghost of her skin.

It was their true love, he was sure of it. This most powerful kind of magic was bringing them back together. As soon as he accepted that, the swirling white light beside him opened with a flash of colors and suddenly he could see through. Ignoring his incredulity at the fact that his love for a girl opened a portal to another realm, Henry drew himself as close as possible without stepping through.

And then he could see her.

She was standing directly in front of him, staring at him with an expression of disbelief and love. It was as if they were looking through a window; so close yet so far. They were directly in front of each other, yet realms away.

However, Henry knew that did not matter. Their love created this portal for a reason.

They were meant to find each other again.

Simultaneously, they each reached a hand out, meeting in the middle and clasping each other tightly. Henry stifled a sob as their fingers intertwined and he memorized her face. The white magic that had previously been spouting from said hands created a glowing orb around their touching skin.

"I found you." He heard himself whisper.

She let out a tearful chuckle but did not respond.

Instead, she turned and glanced over her shoulder. He followed her gaze to the man who could only be the Destroyer. His furious expression marked his stony face. The silver crown adorning his head was askew and his fists were clenched at the sides of his leather-like ensemble.

Abaddon took a step closer to them, raising his fists to attack and, simultaneously, Henry and Addie squeezed their hands tighter together. The increased pressure seemed to release a burst of energy that Henry felt deep into his soul. His hand burned with magic where it clutched Addie's, but not in a painful way. Suddenly, that burning sensation disappeared and, by her gasp, it spread through Addie's body.

He watched as her other hand – the one not still clutching his – suddenly opened and a burst of white magic was released from her fingertips. Henry knew that that magic was the cause of the burning sensation he felt only a moment ago. He knew that that magic was the power-filled manifestation of their true love.

The white light shot towards Abaddon so quickly that he didn't have a moment to think, much less move. The magic pierced through his heart like a blade. The Destroyer's scream echoed across the walls of his throne room as white light suddenly burst from every orifice before his body combusted into a million tiny particles of magic. It was as if the darkness inside him simply could not take the love that radiated from their combined light magic.

With the explosion of Darkness himself, a release of light spread throughout the room, shedding light into the Kingdom of Darkness. Henry could vaguely hear the cheers of thousands of trapped souls rejoicing as Abaddon's subjects came to realize that they are no longer slaves to the darkness.

However, his sole focus is pulling Addie through the portal between them. Now that the fighting is over and her magic has all but dissipated, Henry could see Addie beginning to succumb to her exhaustion and injuries. He also just couldn't wait to hold her in his arms once more.

As soon as she is through, Henry wraps one arm around her waist, holding her steady and upright, while the other tangles itself in her hair. Pressing his face into her neck, Henry breathed in the scent of Addie, reveling in having her close once more. He feels her wrap one arm around his neck and clutch desperately at the back of his shirt with the other hand. Ignoring the fact that he knows his family is watching the scene unfold, he allows himself to break down. He feels her tears simultaneously soak his neck.

"I love you." He hears her whisper breathlessly, "I'm sorry it took so long but I really do love you."

"Shh." Henry reassures her, tightening his hold on her, if that is even possible, "I know. I love you too. So much."

Before he can say anything else, he feels the last of her strength give out. She would have fallen to the floor if he was not holding her so tightly. His own legs feeling shaky, Henry slowly allowed himself to sink to the floor, leaning against the wall in the hospital in overwhelming relief, holding his true love in his arms and sobbing into her unconscious form.

**…OUAT…**

**NEXT on BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:** Epilogue.

**A/N: I really hope you liked this chapter! I knew how I wanted the story to resolve itself but for some reason this was still really hard to write. I hope you enjoyed how things played out. **

**I also just want to thank all of my readers for sticking with this story! This is my first multi-chapter story and I'm just so grateful for all of the favorites, follows, and kind words in the reviews! Thank you so much for the support!**

**Please let me know what you think! I'll try to get the epilogue out as soon as I can!**


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